0
Special Feature
Current trends in outpatient pharmacy services and billing
Stuart J. Beatty, PharmD; Kelly M. McCormick, PharmD; David J. Beale, PharmD; Athena M. Bruggeman, PharmD; Jennifer L. Rodis, PharmD; Bella H. Mehta, PharmD; Marialice S. Bennett, BSPharm
J Am Pharm Assoc. 2012;52:154-160. doi:10.1331/JAPhA.2012.11213

Abstract

Objectives  To provide a summary of community and ambulatory pharmacy practices and billing patterns for medication therapy management (MTM) services and to identify reasons pharmacists report not billing for direct patient care services.

Design  Cross-sectional study.

Setting  United States, February 2011.

Participants  Members of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy Ambulatory Care Practice and Research Network, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Ambulatory and Chronic Care Practitioners, and American Pharmacists Association MTM e-community.

Intervention  Online survey.

Main outcome measures  Practice setting, pharmacy services performed, billing technique, and payer, as well as reasons for not billing.

Results  MTM services were provided by 287 pharmacists. The most common practice settings included physician office (23.6%), health-system outpatient facility (21.7%), and community pharmacy (20.2%). A total of 149 of 276 pharmacists (54.0%) reported billing for MTM services; 16 of 276 (5.8%) did not know if they were currently billing. Community pharmacists were more likely to bill than all other sites combined (80.5% vs. 53.1%, P < 0.001), and pharmacists with >75% of visits face-to-face were more likely to bill (66.2% vs. 46.6%, P < 0.002).

Conclusion  A variety of MTM services are provided in outpatient settings with inconsistent billing techniques and reimbursement. Pharmacists should continue to work toward consistent, sustainable reimbursement to expand MTM services.

Sign In
APhA Members 
Welcome to JAPha.org! Please log in below using your APhA username and password. If you need to update your account information, please go to Pharmacists.org and login using your current credentials.
Username
Password


Forgot your password?
Not a Subscriber
New to JAPhA? Become an APhA member to receive a full subscription to both the print and online editions.

OR

Register for a FREE limited account to benefit from personalization features such as alerts.

References

Chisholm-Burns MA, Lee JK, Spivey CA, et al. US pharmacists' effect as team members on patient care: systematic review and meta-analyses.  Med Care. 2010;48:923–33.[PubMed][CrossRef]
 
Schommer JC, Doucette WR, Gaither CA, et al. Final report of the 2009 National Pharmacist Workforce Survey. Alexandria, VA:  Pharmacy Manpower Project;  2009.
 
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Final Rule: 42 CFR Parts 400, 403, 411, 417, and 423 Medicare Program. Accessed at http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2005/pdf/05-1321.pdf, October 5,  2011.
 
Nutescu EA, Klotz RS.  Basic terminology in obtaining reimbursement for pharmacists' cognitive services.  Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2007;64:186–92.[PubMed][CrossRef]
 
Snella K, Sachdev G.  A primer for developing pharmacist-managed clinics in the outpatient setting.  Pharmacotherapy. 2003;23:1153–66.[PubMed][CrossRef]
 
Beatty SJ, Rodis JL, Bellebaum KL, Mehta BH.  Community and ambulatory pharmacy: evaluation of patient care services and billing patterns before implementation of Medicare Part D.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2006;46:707–14.[CrossRef]
 
Law AV, Okamoto MP, Brock K. Ready, willing, and able to provide MTM services? A survey of community pharmacists in the USA.  Res Social Adm Pharm. 2009;5:376–81.[PubMed][CrossRef]
 
American Pharmacists Association.  Medication Therapy Management Digest: tracking the expansion of MTM in 2010: exploring the consumer perspective. Washington, DC:  American Pharmacists Association;  2011.
 
Millonig MK.  Mapping the route to medication therapy management documentation and billing standardization and interoperabilility within the health care system: meeting proceedings.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2009;49:372–82.[CrossRef]
 
Lounsbery JL, Green CG, Bennett MS, Pedersen CA.  Evaluation of pharmacists' barriers to the implementation of medication therapy management services.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2009;49:51–8.[CrossRef]
 
McDonough RP, Harthan AA, McLeese KE, Doucette WR.  Retrospective financial analysis of medication therapy management services from the pharmacy's perspective.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2010;50:62–6.[CrossRef]
 
Patient-Centered Primary Care Collaborative. The patient-centered medical home: integrating comprehensive medication management to optimize patient outcomes: a resource guide. Accessed at www.pcpcc.net/files/medmanagepub.pdf, October 5,  2011.
 
Erickson S, Hambleton J.  A pharmacy's journey toward the patient-centered medical home.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2011;51:156–60[CrossRef]
 
 Anonymous. Hub on health care reform: the ending is the beginning.  Pharmacy Today. 2010;16(1):5–6.
 
Bluml BM.  Definition of medication therapy management: development of professionwide consensus.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2005;45:566–72.[CrossRef]
 
American Pharmacists Association.  Medication Therapy Management Digest: perspectives on MTM service implementation. Washington, DC:  American Pharmacists Association; March  2008.
 
American Pharmacists Association.  Medication Therapy Management Digest: perspectives on the value of MTM services and their impact on health care. Washington, DC:  American Pharmacists Association;  2009.
 
American Pharmacists Association.  Medication Therapy Management Digest: perspectives on 2009: a year of changing opportunities. Washington, DC:  American Pharmacists Association;  2010.
 
Cranor CW, Bunting BA, Christensen DB.  The Asheville Project: long-term clinical and economic outcomes of a community pharmacy diabetes care program.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2003;43:173–84.[CrossRef]
 
Fera T, Bluml BM, Ellis WM.  Diabetes Ten City Challenge: final economic and clinical results.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2009;49:383–91.[CrossRef]
 
Rothman RL, Malone R, Bryant B, et al. A randomized trial of a primary care-based disease management program to improve cardiovascular risk factors and glycated hemoglobin levels in patients with diabetes.  Am J Med. 2005;118:276–84.[PubMed][CrossRef]
 
American Pharmacists Association, American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.  Delivering medication therapy management services in the community. Washington, DC:  American Pharmacists Association;  2009.
 
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.  Place of influenza vaccination among adults: United States 2010–11 influenza season.  MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2011;60:781–85.[PubMed]
 
McInnis T.  The most transformative force in health care or the demise of a profession? A commentary.  ACCP Report. 2011;30(10):5–7.
 
Ravn K.  Pharmacists are a vital, if under-used, part of health care.  Chicago Tribune. January 31, 2010:22–3.
 
Bennett MS, Blank D, Bopp J, et al. Strategies to improve compensation for pharmaceutical care services.  J Am Pharm Assoc. 2000;40:747–55.
 
Snella KA, Trewyn RR, Hensen LB, Bradberry JC.  Pharmacist compensation for cognitive services: focus on the physician office and community pharmacy.  Pharmacotherapy. 2004;24:372–88.[PubMed][CrossRef]
 
Stubbings J, Nutescu E, Durley SF, Bauman JL.  Payment for clinical pharmacy services revisited.  Pharmacotherapy. 2011;31:1–8.[PubMed][CrossRef]
 
NOTE:
Citing articles are presented as examples only. In non-demo SCM6 implementation, integration with CrossRef’s “Cited By” API will populate this tab (http://www.crossref.org/citedby.html).
Please read the other comments before you post yours. Comments are moderated and will appear on the site at the discertion of the editorial staff.
* = Required Field
(if multiple authors, separate names by comma)
Example: John Doe



Related Content

Customize your page view by dragging & repositioning the boxes below.

JAPhA Articles
Topic Collections
PubMed Articles
Inadequacies in the pharmacologic management of ambulatory children.
The Journal of pediatrics: Issue date- 1975 Jul
Inadequacies in the pharmacologic management of ambulatory children.
The Journal of pediatrics: Issue date- 1975 Jul
Advertisement
 
  • Print
  • PDF Download
  • Email
  • Share
  • Get Citation
  • Submit Comment
  • Article Alerts
    Please Wait... Processing your request... Please Wait.
    You must sign in to sign-up for alerts.

    Please confirm that your email address is correct, so you can successfully receive this alert.

  • Letters To Editor
  • Reprints