Value of community pharmacists' interventions to correct prescribing errors

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this analysis was to estimate the economic value created by community pharmacists who routinely screen for and correct prescribing-related problems during the course of their dispensing activities. DESIGN: Three expert judges evaluated the documented interventions of community pharmacists practicing in five states. RESULTS: The judges agreed that 28.3 percent of the identified problems could have resulted in patient harm had the pharmacist not intervened to correct the problem. The direct cost of medical care that was avoided as a result of pharmacists' intervention activities was estimated to be $122.98 per problematic prescription, or +f42.32 per each new prescription order that was screened during the study. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical pharmacy services can and do create significant value by enhancing the achievement of positive patient outcomes and by avoiding negative outcomes. Research to develop reliable methods for measuring and monitoring the value of clinical pharmacy services must continue. Mechanisms must be created to encourage and reward pharmacists who consistently provide services that add measurable value to patient care.