Topic > PCMH Model - 725

Pharmacists possess skills and knowledge that complement those of other members of the healthcare team. I think the best way a pharmacist can be integrated into PCMHs is through the embedded model. In this model, a pharmacist practices in the PCMH office through a partnership between the PCMH and a hospital pharmacy.5 The pharmacist is still able to provide the same MTM services as the employed model, however, this model is more cost-effective because the pharmacist salary is shared between the PCMH and the hospital. Other articles discussed the promising results of collaborative drug therapy management through MTM.5,1 In this article, a pharmacist and a physician establish a system in which a pharmacist can modify drug therapy for specific patients. This form of team-based care also involves a high level of patient involvement. Patients are actively involved so that they are informed about the medications they take and the treatment plan. This allows the pharmacist to use their motivational interviewing skills to develop a treatment plan for the patient, then relay information such as progress and problems to other professionals on the patient's team. The collaborative drug therapy management system requires a high level of communication between the pharmacist and others. Without effective communication, the PCMH and collaborative drug therapy management system would not be effective even with a fully pharmacist