title: Comparison of practice patterns between inpatient cardiology pharmacists with and without added qualifications in cardiology.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  There is a paucity of data comparing practice patterns between board-certified specialists with added qualifications in cardiology (AQCV) and cardiovascular pharmacists without these credentials.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose is to characterize differences in practice between inpatient pharmacists with and without AQCV.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a multicenter, retrospective, cross-sectional, case-controlled survey. An AQCV pharmacist list was extracted from the Board of Pharmacy Specialties Web site. Hospitals with AQCV pharmacists comprised the case group. Hospitals were excluded if the AQCV pharmacists did not provide direct patient care, practiced in the outpatient setting, or were in a Veterans Affairs hospital. Each case hospital was matched to hospitals without an AQCV pharmacist in a 1:3 ratio (case:control) by region, cardiovascular discharges, and teaching hospital status. Institutions completed a survey characterizing their pharmacy services.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-six hospitals completed the survey (21 AQCV, 35 non-AQCV). More AQCV pharmacists participated on rounds (100% vs 82.9%, P = .04) and devoted more time performing administrative tasks (20.5% ± 15.3% vs 11.1% ± 8.1%, P = .001) than non-AQCV pharmacists. Conversely, AQCV pharmacists spent less time providing clinical care (52.4% ± 14.5% vs 66.2% ± 19.8%, P = .007), were less involved with drug protocol management (71.4% vs 91.4%, P = .05), and performed less order verification than non-AQCV pharmacists.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Practice patterns differ between inpatient pharmacists with and without AQCV. Further research is needed to determine whether AQCV credentialing improves patient outcomes and to delineate what specific tasks performed by inpatient cardiology pharmacists may improve patient outcomes.
authors: Hospital Pharmacy Services, Mayo Clinic Hospital - Rochester , Rochester, Minnesota.
authors: Jennifer
authors: J
authors: Lose
authors: Pharmacy Services and College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers , Ann Arbor, Michigan.
authors: Michael P
authors: MP
authors: Dorsch
authors: Department of Pharmacy Practice, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Pharmacy , Chicago, Illinois .
authors: Robert J
authors: RJ
authors: DiDomenico
keywords: cardiology; clinical pharmacy services; credentialing; pharmacist management