title: Financial implications of pharmacist-led Medicare annual wellness visits.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if pharmacist-led Medicare Annual Wellness Visits (AWVs) are a feasible mechanism to financially support a pharmacist position in physicians' offices.
  
  
  METHODS
  Large, teaching, ambulatory clinic in North Carolina.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Mountain Area Health Education Family Health Center is a family medicine practice that houses a large medical residency program. The Department of Pharmacotherapy comprises five pharmacists and two pharmacy residents providing direct patient care.
  
  
  METHODS
  In April 2012, pharmacists began conducting Medicare AWVs for patients referred by their primary care physicians within the practice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Visit reimbursement, annual revenue, number of patients who must be seen to cover the cost of a pharmacist's salary.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A small practice requires all eligible Medicare patients to complete an AWV to generate enough revenue to support a new pharmacist position. A medium-sized practice requires a 54% utilization rate, and a large practice requires an 18% utilization rate. Two additional AWVs per half-day of clinic are needed to support an existing pharmacotherapy clinic. A total of 1,070 AWVs per year are required to support a pharmacist's salary, regardless of practice size.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  AWV reimbursement may significantly contribute to supporting the cost of a pharmacist, particularly in medium- to large-sized practices. In larger practices, enough revenue can be generated to support the cost of multiple pharmacists.
authors: Irene
authors: I
authors: Park
authors: Susan E
authors: SE
authors: Sutherland
authors: Lisa
authors: L
authors: Ray
authors: Courtenay Gilmore
authors: CG
authors: Wilson
mesh_terms: D005194:Family Practice / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics*; D009657:North Carolina; D010593:Pharmaceutical Services / Q000191:economics; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000191:economics*; D010820:Physicians / Q000191:economics; D010824:Physicians' Offices / Q000191:economics; D014481:United States