Clinical pharmacy services in a hospital-based home care program

The Hospital-Based Home Care (HBHC) Program at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Francisco, California, is a specialized medical service designed to provide comprehensive continuity of care to the veteran patient in his or her own home through the use of a multidisciplinary team approach. Professional health care services are provided by nurses, dieticians, physical therapists, pharmacists, physicians, and social workers. Professional services provided by the clinical pharmacists include: the evaluation of prescribed medication regimen; product identification; patient counseling and education; drug therapy consultant to the HBHC team; and liaison between the HBHC team and outpatient pharmacy services.