STUDENTS MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Defining Our Role with Clinical Services: A Summer Internship Exploring Student Engagement in Community Pharmacies
By: Grant Woodard, Daniella Underwood, Grace Beyer | Mentored By: Jerry Callahan, RPh, Catherine Gilmore, PharmD
T
he term clinical services in pharmacy has always carried a vague defi nition. A pharmacy off ering clinical services could be interpreted as anything from
medication synchronization all the way to pharmacists prescribing post-exposure prophylaxis or hormonal contraception and everything in between. As students, when we hear pharmacists or professors talk about clinical services, we always wonder what end of the clinical services spectrum they are talking about.
“By bridging the gap between academia and practice, this initiative not only empowers future pharmacists but also strengthens the profession,ensuring its continued relevance and impact in the healthcare landscape.”
Recently, we have been exposed to a
clinical service in the community pharmacy setting that allows pharmacists to be reimbursed for the medication therapy management and education they provide to patients through Missouri Medicaid/ MoHealthNet called DirectCarePro (DCPro). Although this service has been off ered for several years by MOHealthNet, many pharmacists in Missouri are becoming credentialed as providers and billing for
these services for their Medicaid-eligible patients. T is has not only had positive patient health outcomes and positive cost savings to Missouri Medicaid, but also provides a wonderful revenue stream to pharmacies who are looking to diversify from traditional dispensing and branch out into the underdefi ned world of clinical services. With the help of MPA's past president Jerry
Callahan, we have developed a capstone business plan to introduce students to non- traditional clinical services like DCPro and more recognized ones like OutcomesMTM. Our belief is that if students are exposed and involved in these activities, they will be more inclined to think of community pharmacy as more than just putting pills in a bottle. Our capstone business plan includes the following details: • Who: rising P2 and P3 students paired
with community pharmacies off ering or interested in off ering clinical services. • What: a partnership between the St.
Louis College of Pharmacy and Missouri pharmacies in which students help initiate and run pharmacy clinical services. • When: beginning summer 2025. Students
will spend 1 week in training bootcamp (see section "How") and then spend the rest of the internship (approx. 9-12 weeks) at the pharmacy providing clinical services. • Where: Students will be located at the
pharmacy. If the pharmacy has the capability of remote set-up, that could be an option. • How: students will spend the fi rst week
of the internship learning about clinical services. Training will include lecture-style training highlighting the key points of both OutcomesMTM and DCPro, step-
44 Missouri PHARMACIST | Volume 98, Issue II | Summer 2024
by-step instructions for proper billing and documentation, and sessions with other students to practice providing education and identifying medication issues. T e introduction of non-traditional
clinical services like DCPro, alongside established programs such as OutcomesMTM, represents a pivotal moment in pharmacy education. By incorporating these initiatives into the curriculum through a capstone business plan, rising P2 and P3 students can gain fi rsthand experience in providing clinical services within community pharmacy settings. T is immersive approach not only fosters a deeper understanding of the pharmacist's role but also cultivates a mindset that views community pharmacy as a hub for comprehensive patient care rather than just a dispensing outlet. Community pharmacies benefi t from the
reimbursement by Missouri Medicaid and play a role in developing the next generation of pharmacists to help manage patient’s medications and disease states. T e students gain a competitive rate of compensation and invaluable experience with clinical services. T rough targeted training and hands-on
experience, students can become profi cient in delivering clinical services, navigating billing and documentation procedures, and eff ectively addressing medication- related issues. By bridging the gap between academia and practice, this initiative not only empowers future pharmacists but also strengthens the profession, ensuring its continued relevance and impact in the healthcare landscape.
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48
