Healthcare reform, technological changes, and continuing economic challenges are putting extreme pressure on today’s hospitals. The pharmacy systems, too, are no exception; everyone in healthcare is looking for new ways to provide safe, quality care at lower cost.

On behalf of hospital and health system pharmacists, the ASHP Research and Education Foundation is spearheading a Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative (PPMI). Pharmacists from around the country are uniting to discuss and develop a best-of-practice model to help strengthen the future of pharmacy and guide the changing role of the pharmacist. In the coming years, pharmacists will focus even more on honing and expanding their patient care skills. Click here to read comments from pharmacists on their evolving role.

To make this a reality, the new pharmacy practice model will position pharmacists as direct patient care providers. PPMI will also work to build up the technology, tools, and actions that will lead the industry into a safer and more effective future by setting standards for U.S. hospital pharmacy practice for the next 10-20 years. For details on PPMI including how to access a live Webcast of the two-day Summit meeting in early November, please visit the ASHP website directly at http://www.ashp.org/ppmi.

BoP Perspective: PPMI Matters to McKesson and Our Partners

McKesson is very proud to sponsor PPMI. The development of a future practice model that is responsive to healthcare reform and the health system of the future is a goal we firmly believe in. It is in line with what we do every day. We have been partnering with pharmacists for over 175 years and today partner with over 2,000 health system pharmacies, helping them optimize their pharmacy businesses and deliver exceptional patient care.

Through a partnership with McKesson, hospitals and pharmacies improve their financial returns, generate operational efficiency and significantly enhance patient care. Here is just one example: By leveraging a suite of financial and clinical solutions from McKesson, Bloomington Hospital replaced a cumbersome and problematic paper-based pharmacy system with a truly integrated, patient-centric delivery model. Thanks to a fully automated, closed-loop medication workflow, medication errors at Bloomington Hospital have decreased by 75% overall. For details of the partnership between Bloomington Hospital and McKesson, click here.