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Innovation

In addition to full scale research, the APhA Foundation brings together top leaders in pharmacy for discussions on future practice innovation. From these discussions, ideas for new tools and methods for pharmacists are developed and later implemented in many of our research projects. The APhA Foundation’s work in practice innovation is vital to the advancement of pharmacy.

The APhA Foundation's work in practice innovation is vital to the advancement of pharmacy.

Learn More About Practice Innovation

Begin with the End Goal in Mind

Innovation Arc

Our research explores and evaluates innovative models of care that enhance health care quality by integrating pharmacists into the health care team.

Our Focus:
 

  • Empower patients

  • Increase collaboration between pharmacists, physicians, and other members of the healthcare team

  • Enhance safety through optimization of medication use

  • Align incentives for patients, providers, and payers

  • Improve health outcomes

  • Reduce healthcare costs

The APhA Foundation's Innovation Arc, pictured below, depicts the types of transformative work that has been conducted since the late 1990s. Our work on a specific topic can begin anywhere along this spectrum then evolve and grow.

The Innovation Arc includes: 

  • Convening thought leaders to explore ideas for new areas of pharmacy practice

  • Developing a model and testing it in a pilot project

  • Refining the model based on learning from the pilot and scaling hte work into more areas and populations

  • Continually improving the model so its success can be nationally implemented to impact healthcare all across America

How the Model Works

Many of the APhA Foundation’s practice-based research initiatives are developed from a proven process model in which patients, primary care providers, pharmacists, and other health care professionals work together to empower patients to be effective self-managers of their health. This care model includes pharmacist coaching and interventions related to medication therapy, lifestyle modifications, and ongoing chronic disease monitoring. The pharmacists and providers share an open line for bi-directional communication and collaborate with their patients to set and achieve realistic health goals. The process of care model is segmented into three areas as the patient moves along the spectrum of disease control.

Preparation

Patients are enrolled in the project by physician-, pharmacist-, or self-referral  The patient completes a medication history form and informed consent, and the pharmacist engages with the patient during a first visit. The pharmacist uses motivational interviewing and point-of-care testing to gain an understanding of the patient’s health condition, chronic disease control, and current care plan. The pharmacist, patient, and other providers work together to develop a plan for optimizing the patient’s care.

Action

Insert During subsequent visits with the pharmacist, patients receive education and training that is tailored to meet individual needs related to monitoring and controlling their conditions. Pharmacists work with other providers to share information, update treatment goals, and reinforce action steps from the care plan. The Action phase may last the patient’s entire lifetime, as they continually work with the healthcare team to improve their health.

Maintenance

Once the impact of effective self-management is realized, the Maintenance phase allows for ongoing monitoring of the patient’s health through as-needed check-ups with the pharmacist and other members of the healthcare team. Involvement in the Maintenance phase assures that patients remain accountable for continuing self-management behaviors and identify areas for Action as they arise.

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Results from Patient Self-Management Program for Diabetes showed 100% of patients had their A1C and lipid panels tested for presence of diabetes. The project also reported a 52% to 77% increase in influenza vaccination, a 46% to 82% increase in eye examinations and 38% to 80% increase in foot examinations.

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