Dan Krinsky, MS, RPh, FAPhA
Coach, Ohio Team, Flip the Pharmacy
Owner, EduCare4U, LLC, and Co-Owner, PGx101, LLC
You’ve enrolled in FTP, now what? This month we offer some tips from a couple Cohort 1 pharmacists and a newly enrolled Cohort 3 pharmacist that we hope will instill confidence and help you see the potential benefits of this program
What value did FTP bring to your organization? “Showcasing all of the different roles that pharmacists can fulfill. From enrolling patients into MedSync programs to continuously monitoring patients' blood pressure and blood glucose readings, this program has clearly illustrated that pharmacists are extremely valuable and competent healthcare professionals.”
Challenges were inevitable; where did the FTP tools/resources and coaching provide assistance? “I think some of the specific documentation forms and resources were very beneficial. For example, the opioid prescription documentation form that was provided to us was very helpful in terms of laying out all of the appropriate information that was needed to properly develop a care plan. Coaching was critical for us to stay on track and for providing insight as to the best way of identifying patients for the progressions.”
What are your suggestions for pharmacists new to FTP? “My biggest piece of advice would be to be prepared and ready to make certain changes within the workflow of your pharmacy to accommodate the different initiatives. While at times you might think there is no way to incorporate these initiatives into your daily routine, I promise that you will be able to make it work as long as you are willing to put in the time and effort. If you do so, you will definitely start seeing how much these initiatives truly benefit a great majority of your patient population.”
Please provide an example of an impactful patient encounter focused on 1 of the FTP initiatives. “One of the most impactful programs we worked to maximize was our MedSync program, but this was also done in combination with a couple disease-focused initiatives. We enrolled a patient with diabetes who was taking 9 chronic medications, who previously was getting her prescriptions filled throughout the month. Within a couple weeks of getting her ‘synced’ her daughter called us and couldn’t thank us enough for helping her Mom. A follow-up call a few months later, where she shared with us how much better she was feeling, was a great testament to our role as care providers and the value of FTP.”
How have you started to implement the newest change package progression regarding Hypertension? “We enrolled a patient in our MedSync program who was taking 3 medications to treat hypertension. He was having difficulty with adherence and his blood pressure was not controlled despite the therapy. So far he’s much happier with having his meds synced, and we’re optimistic his blood pressure will get to goal. We’ll be following up regularly to monitor this.”