Transforming Asthma Care in Forest 8 PCN: The Power of Remote Clinical Pharmacist Support
Introduction:
Forest 8 Primary Care Network (PCN), a consortium of eight GP practices serving 50,000 patients, found itself grappling with the challenge of meeting its Impact & Investment Fund (IIF) targets for asthma management (RESP-01 and RESP-02) as the end of the financial year drew near. To address this issue, the PCN turned to our remote clinical pharmacist support services to optimise asthma treatment for their patients. This article will delve into the methods employed and the remarkable outcomes achieved over the course of a five-week period between February and March.
Objective:
The main aim of engaging our clinical services was to improve the IIF targets for RESP-01 (Percentage of patients on the QOF Asthma Register who were regularly prescribed an inhaled corticosteroid over the previous 12 months) and RESP-02 (Percentage of patients on the QOF Asthma Register who received six or more SABA inhaler prescriptions over the previous 12 months).
Method:
Our clinical pharmacists were integrated into the eight GP surgery sites within Forest 8 PCN to facilitate the attainment of RESP-01 and RESP-02 targets. By employing a suite of clinical searches, asthma patients who were underordering inhaled corticosteroids or overordering SABA inhalers were identified. Subsequently, the clinical pharmacists reviewed these patients and made clinically appropriate interventions to optimise their medication.
Outcomes:
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Over the five-week period, our clinical pharmacists achieved remarkable results, demonstrating the efficacy of integrating remote clinical pharmacists into primary care teams:
Conclusion:
Our clinical services played a pivotal role in enhancing asthma management in Forest 8 PCN by effectively addressing the challenges faced in meeting the RESP-01 and RESP-02 IIF targets. The improvement in these targets underscores the value of incorporating remote clinical pharmacists into primary care teams, as they are adept at identifying and optimising medication regimens for patients with asthma. This case study sheds light on the potential of leveraging clinical pharmacists' expertise to not only achieve better health outcomes for asthma patients but also to extend this approach to other chronic diseases managed within primary care settings. In the long run, this collaborative approach has the potential to lead to more efficient healthcare delivery and improved patient satisfaction.
Testimonial from Forest 8 PCN:
"I had a very positive experience working with CPS Pharmacists for our IIF-targeted service. They supported practices with inhaler changes and provided a service that was efficient and effective in meeting the needs of our practices whilst also prioritising patient safety. Additionally, they were very flexible, which is essential as every practice in PCN is unique and requires a personal plan. CPS Pharmacists were able to adapt to our needs and provide us regular updates on progress towards meeting targets. Overall, I would recommend their service to other practices."
Suzia Riasat, PCN Liaison Manager