The health care delivery model in the U.S. is rapidly evolving and with that comes a number of pressures on health systems and providers, such as reducing cost, improving quality and enhancing patient experience. To address these pressures, we must come up with innovative solutions, not only because we anticipate a large physician shortage by 2025, but also because our patients demand and deserve the best quality of care by the person most equipped to provide that care.

When I began this journey over 15 years ago, I never realized how far we would come — with our own division within the University of Michigan Medical Group. It’s exciting to know the landscape of ambulatory clinical pharmacy is changing and that our organization is on the forefront. I started here in 1999 and was tasked with developing a clinical practice in one primary care clinic to work with physicians to improve the care of their patients. Today, this model has spread to all 14 of the U-M Health System primary care practices.

But my drive to shape healthcare around the patients’ needs didn’t stop there. I wanted to spread this model outside our academic walls. I started through a direct role with POM ACO to integrate clinical pharmacy services within participating physician organizations within the ACO. We then began a BCBSM-funded collaborative process initiative, Michigan Pharmacists Transforming Care and Quality to share this model with physician organizations across all of Michigan. We support them in adopting and developing a similar program within their organization.

To make sure we are keeping our pulse on what is up and coming; our team is developing many innovative pilot programs to discover ways in which patient care is enhanced through ambulatory clinical pharmacy practice. Many of these programs have been successful and developed into larger programmatic offerings at UMHS, such as centralized Transitions of Care and Community Blood Pressure Centers, to name a few.

I encourage you to explore our website and learn more about the exciting things happening in Pharmacy Innovations and Partnerships. Please contact us if you would like to meet with us or need more information about any one of our programs!