Pharmacoeconomic, Medication Access, and Patient-Satisfaction Analysis of a Pharmacist-Managed VTE Clinic Compared to Primary Care Physician Outpatient Therapy

• Published in: Journal of pharmacy practice 2022-04, Vol.35 (2), p.212-217
• Main Authors: Howell, Chandler Wayne, Walroth, Todd A., Beam, Daren M., Geik, Christopher A., Howell, Molly M., Macik, Monica R., Schmelz, Andrew N., DiRenzo, Baely M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticoagulants - therapeutic use; Economics, Pharmaceutical; Health Services Accessibility; Humans; Outpatients; Patient Satisfaction; Personal Satisfaction; Pharmacists; Physicians, Primary Care; Retrospective Studies; Venous Thromboembolism - chemically induced; Venous Thromboembolism - drug therapy
• ISSN: 0897-1900; 1531-1937
• DOI: 10.1177/0897190020966210

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common medical condition often treated with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). Current literature supports outpatient treatment of select, low-risk VTE patients by a pharmacist with DOACs; however, no studies exist to demonstrate if a pharmacist-managed VTE clinic provides financial benefit compared to physician-managed outpatient care. To compare the financial implications and patient satisfaction of pharmacist-managed VTE care versus outpatient VTE care by a primary care physician. A single-center retrospective chart review was conducted on all patients seen at a pharmacist-managed VTE clinic for safety and reimbursement outcomes between August 1, 2018 and July 31, 2019. These data points were used to assess the primary endpoint of net gain per patient visit and secondary outcomes, including patient satisfaction score. The primary outcome median (IQR) for net gain per visit was $16.57 (16.57, 16.57) for the pharmacist-managed group and $64.37 (47.04, 64.37) in the physician-managed group with a 95% CI of 39.13-47.80. The median cost to the organization per visit was $4.96 (4.96, 4.96) for the pharmacist-managed group and $39.41 (23.65, 39.41) for the physician managed group with a 95% CI of 26.57-34.45. Statistical difference was also found for a secondary outcome of percentage of days covered for the pharmacist-managed group compared to the physician managed group, median (IQR) 100% (76,100) vs 92.2% (67.2, 98.9) respectfully, with a p-value of 0.043. The pharmacist-managed VTE clinic, although financially sustainable, provides significantly less net revenue per patient than physician managed clinics, demonstrating the need for increased payer recognition for pharmacists.