Advancing patient care through innovative practice: the Clinical Partners Program.

PURPOSE: The development, implementation, and outcomes assessment of an innovative pharmacist-managed ambulatory care and community pharmacy practice clinic are described. SUMMARY: The Clinical Partners Program at The Ohio State University (OSU) provides an active learning environment for students and residents, offers a patient-focused practice model based on pharmaceutical care principles, and serves as an arena for applied research in pharmacy practice. The program offers multiple services, including anticoagulation management, diabetes self-management, cholesterol management, hepatitis C education, herbal product and dietary supplement consultations, medication management, smoking cessation, and wellness. The practice is currently staffed by two faculty members from the college of pharmacy, with a 0.8 full-time-equivalent (FTE) pharmacist and a 0.65 FTE community pharmacy resident. It has served as a training site for 17 pharmacy residents, 28 bachelor of science (B.S.) in pharmacy students, 30 post-B.S. doctor of pharmacy (Pharm.D.) students, and 132 entry-level Pharm.D. students at various levels of training. The most successful methods of reimbursement for programs have been contracted services with OSU Managed Health Care Systems, Inc., which serves OSU faculty and staff and fee-for-service billing, charged directly to non-OSU patients. Numerous studies have shown that Clinical Partners has consistently demonstrated improved therapeutic outcomes over those achieved in traditional practice. Faculty are exploring outreach services, including the development of advanced practice community sites for the college, establishing patient care services within physician offices, and providing disease management services for self-insured employers. CONCLUSION: The Clinical Partners Program has improved patient care and provided education and training opportunities for pharmacy students and residents.