Academic pharmacy and patient-centered health care: a model to prepare the next generation of pharmacists.

OBJECTIVE: To provide evidence regarding existing partnerships between academic pharmacy and primary care that focus on training practitioners in patient-centered health care (PCHC). DATA SOURCES: The report of the 2009-10 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Professional Affairs Committee identified 25 current U.S.-based examples of PCHC that incorporate the training and preparation of both student pharmacists and pharmacy residents. SUMMARY: The most frequently reported health care delivery model was an ambulatory care clinic followed by a Department of Veterans Affairs or military hospital clinic. Pharmacists worked alongside a variety of other health care providers in these settings. Collaboration occurred most commonly with family and internal medicine physicians but also with specialists such as psychiatrists, obstetricians/gynecologists, hematologists/oncologists, and other health care providers (e.g., nurses, physician assistants, dieticians, social workers). CONCLUSION: In light of the increasing demand for primary care services, pharmacists' documented ability to address these needs and the resulting benefits to patients, providers, and systems in these models, developing strategies for promoting pharmacist integration into PCHC is essential. Academic pharmacy provides a valuable platform for this integration through its expert faculty clinician involvement in care and practice-based research and student pharmacist and pharmacy residency training.

Capacity of hospitals to partner with academia to meet experiential education requirements for pharmacy students.

PURPOSE: Current hospital and health-system participation in and the future capacity for experiential education for pharmacy students was investigated. METHODS: An online survey of ASHP members identified as U.S. pharmacy directors was conducted to assess their current and future involvement in partnering with colleges and schools to meet the experiential education requirements for doctor of pharmacy students and the current status of the student learning experiences. Questionnaire items examined the factors on which expanded involvement in experiential education would depend, the nature of support provided by colleges and schools, the types of experiences available for students, respondents' perceptions of factors influencing the quality of experiential education, the value of experiential education to the sites, respondents' challenges and concerns about experiential education, and respondents' current capacity and projections for introductory and advanced experiences through 2012. RESULTS: Data from 549 respondents were analyzed. Most respondents indicated that they had conducted advanced experiences for their 2007 graduates and anticipated that they would continue to do so. Among the top challenges identified regarding advanced experiences were concerns about time to serve and be trained as preceptors and a lack of standardization and coordination among colleges and schools. Hospitals forecasting their future capacity to accommodate students indicated that their projections were highly dependent on the number of pharmacists at their hospitals. Many respondents noted that their capacity projections were tied to their ability to expand clinical services at their hospitals. CONCLUSION: A survey of pharmacy directors suggested an ability of U.S. hospitals to conduct advanced experiential education opportunities for pharmacy students through 2012 and to expand introductory experiences.