title: Use of a pharmacy technician to facilitate postfracture care provided by clinical pharmacy specialists.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The ability of a pharmacy technician to support the patient screening and documentation-related functions of a pharmacist-driven osteoporosis management service was evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  A two-phase prospective study was conducted within a large integrated health system to assess a pharmacy technician's performance in supporting a multisite team of clinical pharmacy specialists providing postfracture care. In phase I of the study, a specially trained pharmacy technician provided support to pharmacists at five participating medical offices, helping to identify patients requiring pharmacist intervention and, when applicable, collecting patient-specific clinical information from the electronic health record. In phase II of the study, the amount of pharmacist time saved through the use of technician support versus usual care was evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The records of 127 patient cases were reviewed by the pharmacy technician during phase I of the study, and a pharmacist agreed with the technician's determination of the need for intervention in the majority of instances (92.9%). An additional 91 patient cases were reviewed by the technician in phase II of the research. With technician support, pharmacists spent less time reviewing cases subsequently determined as not requiring intervention (mean ± S.D., 5.0 ± 3.8 minutes per case compared with 5.2 ± 4.5 minutes under the usual care model; p = 0.78). In cases requiring intervention, technician support was associated with a reduction in the average pharmacist time spent on care plan development (13.5 ± 7.1 minutes versus 18.2 ± 16.6 minutes with usual care, p = 0.34).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results suggest that a pharmacy technician can accurately determine if a patient is a candidate for pharmacist intervention and collect clinical information to facilitate care plan development.
authors.affiliation: Adriane N. Irwin, M.S., Pharm.D., is Clinical Assistant Professor, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Corvallis; at the time of writing she was Clinical Pharmacy Research Fellow, Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO), Aurora. Rachel M. F. Heilmann, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Denver, and Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Denver. Theresa M. Gerrity, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, KPCO, Brighton. Beverly A. Kroner, Pharm.D., is Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services Chief, KPCO, Aurora. Kari L. Olson, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Aurora, and Clinical Associate Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
authors.forename: Adriane N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Irwin
authors.affiliation: Adriane N. Irwin, M.S., Pharm.D., is Clinical Assistant Professor, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Corvallis; at the time of writing she was Clinical Pharmacy Research Fellow, Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO), Aurora. Rachel M. F. Heilmann, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Denver, and Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Denver. Theresa M. Gerrity, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, KPCO, Brighton. Beverly A. Kroner, Pharm.D., is Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services Chief, KPCO, Aurora. Kari L. Olson, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Aurora, and Clinical Associate Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. rachel.m.heilmann@kp.org.
authors.forename: Rachel M F
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Heilmann
authors.affiliation: Adriane N. Irwin, M.S., Pharm.D., is Clinical Assistant Professor, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Corvallis; at the time of writing she was Clinical Pharmacy Research Fellow, Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO), Aurora. Rachel M. F. Heilmann, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Denver, and Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Denver. Theresa M. Gerrity, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, KPCO, Brighton. Beverly A. Kroner, Pharm.D., is Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services Chief, KPCO, Aurora. Kari L. Olson, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Aurora, and Clinical Associate Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
authors.forename: Theresa M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Gerrity
authors.affiliation: Adriane N. Irwin, M.S., Pharm.D., is Clinical Assistant Professor, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Corvallis; at the time of writing she was Clinical Pharmacy Research Fellow, Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO), Aurora. Rachel M. F. Heilmann, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Denver, and Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Denver. Theresa M. Gerrity, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, KPCO, Brighton. Beverly A. Kroner, Pharm.D., is Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services Chief, KPCO, Aurora. Kari L. Olson, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Aurora, and Clinical Associate Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
authors.forename: Beverly A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kroner
authors.affiliation: Adriane N. Irwin, M.S., Pharm.D., is Clinical Assistant Professor, Oregon State University College of Pharmacy, Corvallis; at the time of writing she was Clinical Pharmacy Research Fellow, Kaiser Permanente Colorado (KPCO), Aurora. Rachel M. F. Heilmann, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Denver, and Clinical Assistant Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Denver. Theresa M. Gerrity, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, KPCO, Brighton. Beverly A. Kroner, Pharm.D., is Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Services Chief, KPCO, Aurora. Kari L. Olson, Pharm.D., is Clinical Pharmacy Supervisor, KPCO, Aurora, and Clinical Associate Professor, University of Colorado Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences.
authors.forename: Kari L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Olson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015519:Bone Density; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002985:Clinical Protocols; D057286:Electronic Health Records; D005260:Female; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010596:Pharmacy Technicians; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011787:Quality of Health Care
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents