Implementation and assessment of a pilot module on billing for pharmacist-provided healthcare services in a doctor of pharmacy program.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

To describe the implementation and assessment of a pilot module on billing to inform future comprehensive curricular integration of billing for pharmacist-provided healthcare services.

EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITY AND SETTING

A module (two-hour didactic session and two-hour lab), developed by a faculty member and pharmacy billing specialist, was piloted to teach second-year pharmacy students how to bill the medical insurance benefit for provided services. Web-based pre- and post-surveys and performance on knowledge assessment questions were used to evaluate the pilot module.

FINDINGS

Students' perceptions of their abilities and knowledge to provide and bill for healthcare services improved as a result of participation in the pilot module.

SUMMARY

This pilot module on billing was successful in improving students' knowledge and perceptions of abilities to provide and bill for healthcare services. However, further efforts to integrate billing education within individual institutions and the entire pharmacy academy will help better prepare pharmacists to provide sustainable clinical services.