Interprofessional Collaboration between Prescribers and Pharmacists Essay

Interprofessional Collaboration between Prescribers and Pharmacists Essay

Interprofessional Collaboration between Prescribers and Pharmacists Essay

Interprofessional collaboration is needed in healthcare because of the rising chronic disease burden, the aging population, advanced therapeutic modalities, and rising healthcare costs. Intercollaborative practice between pharmacists and prescribers positively impacts healthcare outcomes (Zielińska-Tomczak et al., 2021). The purpose of this paper is to summarize lessons learned from an interview with a pharmacist and explore intercollaboration between pharmacists and prescribers.

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The Process of Filling a Prescription

The pharmacist goes through the prescription to ensure it is complete and authentic in the first step of filling a prescription. The second step is to confirm that the patient is in the pharmacy database. If the patient is not in the database, the pharmacist collects the patient’s demographic, allergy, and insurance information. The pharmacist inputs the information into the computer and scans the prescription. The next step entails checking for the completeness of each part of the prescription (Kenny & Preuss, 2020). The pharmacist then inputs the prescription information and processes the insurance and billing information into the computer. A label is generated after the payment is approved by the insurance.

The next step is drug preparation and involves the pharmacist counting the number of tablets or measuring drug syrups and packing them in the appropriate containers. In addition, the pharmacist attaches the prescription’s information sheet outlining indications, interactions, and potential side effects (Kenny & Preuss, 2020). The drugs are then handed over to the patient, and the pharmacist counsels the patient regarding the drugs. If it is a refill, the pharmacist assesses the patient’s response to the medication and if they are experiencing any side effects.

Common Reasons Pharmacists Call Providers to Clarify Orders

The pharmacist stated that most prescriptions that require clarification with the prescriber are usually new compared to refills. The common reasons for clarifications include missing prescription information, providers prescribing different dosage strengths and authorization issues. Besides, pharmacists call providers if there is a need to prescribe a different drug.

A Proper Prescription

A complete prescription contains the prescriber’s information, including the name, title, address, and contact number. It should also have the date the prescription was written. Besides, an inscription should be present, including the drug’s name, strength, and quantity. A proper prescription should have the patient’s name and address and the drug refill instructions (Kenny & Preuss, 2020). A signa should also be included, which outlines the directions for use and the drug’s administration route. The prescriber’s signature should be included in written prescriptions. Furthermore, a proper prescription should have the provider’s National Provider Identifier (NPI) and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) registration number in controlled substances.

Common Omissions on Prescriptions Pharmacists Receive

Errors of omission refer to prescription missing essential information. The pharmacists stated that omission errors were related to the prescriber and drugs. The common prescription omissions they encounter related to the prescriber include the patient’s name, age, provider’s name, provider’s signature, and patient’s diagnosis. Omissions related to medication include dose, frequency, route, dosage form, and quantity to dispense.

Medication Errors Pharmacists Encounter

The pharmacist reported that they encounter medication errors, categorized as errors of commission and omission. Errors of commission include dispensing the wrong medication, wrong dose, wrong dosage form, miscalculating a dose, and incorrect drug entry into the computer system (Shrestha & Prajapati, 2019). Medication errors of omission by pharmacists include failing to counsel the patient, using ambiguous language on the medication label, and failing to screen for drug interactions and contraindications. Over-the-counter medications can contribute to medication errors since patients may fail to sufficiently read or understand the drug labels (Shrestha & Prajapati, 2019). Besides, the patient’s primary care provider is often unaware that a patient is taking over-the-counter medications.

The Prior Authorization (PAR) Process and Common Par Medications

The PAR process involves physicians and other health providers obtaining advance approval from a health plan before implementing a medical service to a patient to qualify for payment coverage (Bhattacharjee et al., 2019). The first step in the PAR process is for the provider to determine if a patient needs a specific test, procedure, drug, or device. The provider is obligated to check the health plan’s policy rules to establish whether a prior authorization is needed for the prescribed course of treatment. If needed, the provider formally submits a prior authorization request form and signs it to confirm that the information supporting the medical requirement claim is correct and accurate. If the health provider verifies that prior authorization is not needed, they can submit the claim to the payer (Bhattacharjee et al., 2019). However, this does not denote that the claim will automatically be approved. Besides, the provider is responsible for following up with the insurance company until there is a prior authorization request pledge.

Par medications refer to drugs that require prior authorization. Common prescription par medications include: Adapalene, Androgel, Amlodipine, Aripiprazole, Copaxone, Crestor, Dextroamphetamine, Elidel, Fentanyl, Enoxaparin Sodium, Januvia, Latuda, Levitra, Methylphenidate ER, Modafinil, Pristiq ER, and Vancomycin.

Intercollaboration between Pharmacists and Prescribers

Pharmacists are acknowledged as crucial members of such collaborative practice models due to the increasing complexity of drug therapies, the cost of drug-related morbidity, and the rising healthcare costs. This highlights the need for effective intercollaboration between pharmacists and prescribers to enhance patient care (Albassam et al., 2020). The fundamental element for implementing intercollaborative practice is that prescribers and pharmacists must take joint responsibility for decisions by applying their specialties and skills to attain the best health outcomes rather than taking clinical decision-making as a competition. According to Albassam et al. (2020), the benefits of intercollaboration include improved medication appropriateness, reduced medication errors and adverse drug reactions, improved patient communication, increased patients’ drug knowledge and adherence, reduced morbidity, and mortality, enhanced patient outcomes, and reduced healthcare costs.

Conclusion

When filling a prescription, the pharmacist translates a medication order into a personalized medication supply to a patient and ensures it is appropriate, safe, and legally accepted. Pharmacists encounter errors of omission and commission, which lead to medication errors. Therefore, there is a need for interprofessional collaboration between prescribers and pharmacists to reduce medication errors, improve patient outcomes, and reduce costs.

References

Albassam, A., Almohammed, H., Alhujaili, M., Koshy, S., & Awad, A. (2020). Perspectives of primary care physicians and pharmacists on interprofessional collaboration in Kuwait: A quantitative study. PloS one, 15(7), e0236114. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0236114

Bhattacharjee, S., Murcko, A. C., Fair, M. K., & Warholak, T. L. (2019). Medication prior authorization from the providers perspective: a prospective observational study. Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 15(9), 1138-1144. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sapharm.2018.09.019

Kenny, B. J., & Preuss, C. V. (2020). Pharmacy Prescription Requirements. In StatPearls [Internet]. StatPearls Publishing.

Shrestha, R., & Prajapati, S. (2019). Assessment of prescription pattern and prescription error in outpatient Department at Tertiary Care District Hospital, Central Nepal. Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice, 12(1), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40545-019-0177-y

Zielińska-Tomczak, Ł., Cerbin-Koczorowska, M., Przymuszała, P., & Marciniak, R. (2021). How to effectively promote interprofessional collaboration?–a qualitative study on physicians’ and pharmacists’ perspectives driven by the theory of planned behavior. BMC Health Services Research, 21(1), 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-021-06903-5

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The purpose of this assignment is to interview a pharmacist to learn more about interprofessional collaboration between prescribers and pharmacists. If possible, volunteer to shadow the pharmacist. Discuss the following in your interview:

The process of filling a prescription.
Common reasons pharmacists call providers to clarify orders.
What is on a proper prescription.
Common omissions on prescriptions they receive.
Medication errors pharmacists encounter.
The prior authorization (PAR) process and common par medications.
Write a 500-1,000 word paper summarizing your experience and what you learned from the pharmacist you interviewed. Reflect on how this information will help your prescription writing. Discuss intercollaboration between pharmacists and prescribers.

You are required to cite three to five sources related to intercollaboration to complete this assignment. Sources must be published within the last 5 years and appropriate for the assignment criteria and nursing content.