CPF Communications

MTM & CMM Survey – CPF would like to thank the individuals, groups, and organizations who helped raise awareness and distribute and/or complete the survey titled "Advanced Medication Therapy Management Services for Ambulatory/Community Patients."  The survey closed on January 25, 2016, with responses from 45 states and Puerto Rico.  The research team is pleased with the response rate and the quality of results, and the advisory board is meeting to review the findings.  Future updates will come via CPF and Health2 Resources. 

PCORI Advisory Panel Openings – PCORI has seven openings on its Advisory Panel. Follow the link to learn more about the application process, including the March 21, 2016 deadline. The PCORI Advisory Panels are important because they help bring voices from across the healthcare community into research work.
 

Sav-On Pharmacy - Michigan

Andrew Mac, RPh 

Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at Sav-On Drugs in Livonia, Michigan

Project Title: 
Quality of Care Measurement Prescription Claims Data vs Verbal Patient Medication Histories 
Grant Details Page | CPF Synopsis | Report

Community Pharmacy Practitioners as Co-Investigators
Testimonial by two academic project partners.
 

Dear Community Pharmacy Foundation, 

Doing research within community pharmacies isn’t easy.  Adding new patient interactions and data collection to practices that are already brimming with responsibilities can be daunting. The research question must be relevant to practice and the study methods efficient and tailored to practice. Most importantly, the right pharmacists have to be co-investigators.

When Andrew Mac, Vice President of Pharmacy Operations at Sav-On Drugs in Livonia, Michigan, applied for a Community Pharmacy Foundation grant he and his pharmacists were questioning the ability of claims data to adequately capture the quality of care pharmacists provided. It was previous research experience that gave Andrew the confidence that his pharmacists could bring new light to this issue. As researchers, we were happy to be part of the initiative. 

While the methodology sounded simple - complete medication histories for patients on multiple medications – fitting patient recruitment and data collection responsibilities into busy practices was daunting. The key to success was the pharmacist co-investigators: Marty Cobb, Michael Damon, Greg Gortat, Joann Hurley, Karolena Jasinska and Karen Synder. They streamlined study methods and data collection materials. When recruitment proved difficult, they stepped in with new ideas; after all, they knew their patients.  They shared practical tips with each other, gave us guidance, and commented on study findings. 

Time spent with our co-investigators showed us that they had made the research project an extension of their current services. They were constantly interacting with patients to improve their health and their patients rely on their knowledge and experience to help them through difficult times. 

Many thanks to the Community Pharmacy Foundation for funding the Sav-On Drugs research project and for giving us the wonderful experience of working with some great pharmacists!

Sincerely, 

Nancy JW Lewis, PharmD, MPH - Consultant Researcher

Leslie Shimp, PharmD, MS - Professor of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy; Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, Department of Family Medicine, Medical School; and Clinical Pharmacist, U-M Health System
 

Sav-On Pharmacy Team
Acknowledging the hard work of these patient care medication experts and their extra effort to contribute to research efforts. Thank You!

Greg Gortat	JoAn Hurley
Karen Snyder	Karolina Jasinka
Marty Cobb	Michael Damon