The ACCP2 Study is a mixed methods study with the goal of developing an infrastructure within the ACCP Practice-Based Research Network (PBRN) to conduct research evaluating the impact of clinical pharmacist activities. This study’s objective is to describe clinical pharmacist cognitive processes, including information gathering, setting the goals of therapy, developing a treatment plan, and communicating with patients and practitioners in the delivery of patient care in general inpatient and outpatient settings. The first part of this mixed methods study used qualitative methods to better identify specific activities performed by clinical pharmacists in their practices. In total, 22 clinical pharmacists were interviewed by telephone. Telephone interviews were used to develop the initial focus group facilitator’s guide. Six focus groups were conducted in different geographic regions of the United States from October 2012 through February 2013. Transcripts collected from the telephone interviews and focus groups were used to identify common themes in patient care by clinical pharmacists. The results of the qualitative study are currently being analyzed and prepared for publication.
The interviews and focus group transcripts are also being used to develop a point-of-care documentation tool to be used in a subsequent quantitative research study to capture the activities of a single clinical pharmacist interaction with a patient. From this study, the PBRN will be better able to describe and understand factors that influence patient care delivery by clinical pharmacists. The quantitative study will be conducted using the PBRN and will begin recruitment soon. Inpatient and outpatient clinical pharmacist PBRN members will be contacted by e-mail to request their participation. If you are not currently a PBRN member but are interested in joining the PBRN and participating in this study, contact the PBRN at [email protected].