Patient-centered care as value-added service by compounding pharmacists.

The term "value-added" is widely used to describe business and professional services that complement a product or service or that differentiate it from competing products and services. The objective of this study was to determine compounding pharmacists' self-perceptions of the value-added services they provide. A web-based survey method was used. Respondents' perceptions of their most important value-added service frequently fell into one of two categories: (1) enhanced pharmacist contribution to developing and implementing patient therapeutic plans and (2) providing customized medications of high pharmaceutical quality. The results were consistent with a hybrid community clinical practice model for compounding pharmacists wherein personalization of the professional relationship is the value-added characteristic.

Independent community pharmacists' perspectives on compounding in contemporary pharmacy education.

OBJECTIVES: To identify compounding practices of independent community pharmacy practitioners in order to make recommendations for the development of curricular objectives for doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) programs. METHODS: Independent community practitioners were asked about compounding regarding their motivations, common activities, educational exposures, and recommendations for PharmD education. RESULTS: Most respondents (69%) accepted compounding as a component of pharmaceutical care and compounded dermatological preparations for local effects, oral solutions, and suspensions at least once a week. Ninety-five percent were exposed to compounding in required pharmacy school courses and most (98%) who identified compounding as a professional service offered in their pharmacy sought additional postgraduate compounding education. Regardless of the extent of compounding emphasis in the practices surveyed, 84% stated that PharmD curricula should include compounding. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacy schools should define compounding curricular objectives and develop compounding abilities in a required laboratory course to prepare graduates for pharmaceutical care practice.

Prevalence of compounding in independent community pharmacy practice.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the extent of prescription compounding in independent community pharmacies and identify factors that influence the decision of independent pharmacists whether to provide compounding services. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, and Iowa. PARTICIPANTS: 370 pharmacists in charge. INTERVENTION: Anonymous questionnaire mailed in January 2005. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Percentage of pharmacies that provide compounding; percentage of dispensed prescriptions that require compounding; factors contributing to decisions whether to provide compounding service. RESULTS: Overall, 94% of respondent pharmacies provided compounding services at the time of this survey. Prescriptions that required compounding represented less than 1% of total prescriptions for the majority (58.3%) of respondents. The main reasons for the decision to provide compounding service were wanting to provide full pharmaceutical care to patients (73.8% of compounders) and responding to requests by prescribers (48.7%). Pharmacies that did not provide compounding service cited the main reason as not receiving prescriptions that required compounding (63.6% of noncompounders). CONCLUSION: Compounding remains a component of pharmacy practice in the independent community setting. Prescriptions that required compounding represented 2.3% of all prescriptions dispensed by compounding pharmacies.