The pharmacist as prescriber of drug therapy: the USC pilot project.

Recent legislation in California allows pilot projects to investigate prescribing by pharmacists. The University of Southern California School of Pharmacy project was approved in October, 1978. To be certified as prescribers, pharmacists must successfully complete a physical assessment course and a certifying examination. From an original group of 30 interested pharmacists, 25 were certified; five different pharmacists were added later. Prescribing pharmacists must meet with their supervising physician once every two weeks, and are restricted to the project formulary. A variety of health care settings are represented in the project, with pharmacists prescribing for ambulatory patients with chronic diseases, geriatric patients in extended care facilities, psychiatric patients, and selected inpatients. Project evaluation will continue through 1982 and will focus on safety and quality of care, patient acceptance, and cost of care.