Objective and subjective benefits of a psychiatric pharmacist-led long-acting injectable medication training at a large, multisite organization.

INTRODUCTION: Many psychiatric, long-acting injectable (LAI) medications are available, and each product comes with its own unique challenges. Improper administration can lead to pain, decreased efficacy, and loss of trust in the patient-provider relationship. This study was conducted to determine if a pharmacist-led, 1-hour training was successful in increasing psychiatric LAI medication knowledge through a pretest and posttest. The study also assessed staff satisfaction, confidence, and relevance to practice through a feedback questionnaire. METHODS: Four 1-hour live trainings took place in November 2019. Thirty-five nurses and 8 medical assistants attended 1 of the trainings. A pretest and posttest was administered to determine the training's efficacy, and then a final assessment was administered 4 to 6 weeks after the training. Additionally, a participant feedback questionnaire was given to determine the perceived benefits of the training. RESULTS: The primary outcome was to compare pretest and posttest scores. The pretest average score was 67%, the posttest average score was 97%, and the average score 4 to 6 weeks after the training was 97%. The secondary outcome was to review feedback questionnaires to determine the perceived benefit and effectiveness of the training. Ninety-five percent of participants selected that they were very satisfied with the training, 88% selected they would definitely use the information presented in their work, and 93% selected that they had a lot of confidence in the topic after the training. DISCUSSION: A psychiatric LAI medication training administered to nursing staff and medical assistants improved knowledge scores and was perceived as being useful.

Providing Effective Primary Care for Patients with Serious Mental Illness: Additional Components to Enhance Practice.

Despite pronounced disparities in mortality and physical health outcomes, no well accepted models exist for integrating primary care with behavioral health for patients with serious mental illness (SMI). This article describes a case study of an enhanced approach to primary care that builds on the patient centered medical home (PCMH) model and adds three additional components: (1) longer and more frequent visits to establish trust and increase adherence, (2) a primary care team that has both the skills to provide effective primary care and the heart to take care of patients with SMI and (3) planned and proactive communication between the behavioral health team and the primary care team.

A Model of Enhanced Primary Care for Patients with Severe Mental Illness.

Life expectancy and other outcomes for patients with serious mental illness (SMI) are unacceptably poor, largely due to a high prevalence of poorly controlled chronic diseases, high rates of tobacco use, and low rates of preventive care services. Since many of these illnesses are effectively treated in primary care settings, integrating primary care with behavioral health care is necessary to narrow health disparities for patients with SMI.