Assessment of clinical and educational interventions that Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) students contributed to a family medicine residency program.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The literature firmly establishes that clinical interventions made by pharmacy students on Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) rotations contribute significantly to cost-savings realized by the hosting practice sites. The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) specifies the experiential curricula include opportunities for students to learn about, from, and with other members of the healthcare team through interprofessional education activities.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY

This study assesses clinical and educational interventions contributed by APPE students at a family medicine residency program to determine the extent students were engaged in the interprofessional team and physicians' receptiveness to the recommendations.

FINDINGS

Student interventions made from January 2009 to September 2012 were recorded in a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. Data was evaluated to determine 1) the most common types of clinical and educational interventions, 2) potential associated cost-savings/avoidance, and 3) provider receptiveness to recommendations based upon acceptance rates. A standardized scheme was utilized to assign a cost savings value according to Midwest America Division of Hospital Corporation of America (HCA) clinical savings standards. Pharmacy students contributed 2868 interventions in 3.5 years. A total of 59.2% of interventions were clinical and accounted for an estimated cost savings of $55,892. The remaining 40.8% of interventions were pharmacy care activities, none were associated with a cost savings and three-fourths were considered educational. Intervention acceptance rate was over 80%, showing providers were very receptive to pharmacy students.

SUMMARY

This study lends support that APPE students provide substantial clinical and educational contributions to healthcare providers and patients affiliated with family medicine residency programs. Additionally, healthcare providers and patients are very receptive to pharmacy students as members of the interprofessional team.