Pharmacist-Initiated Prior Authorization Process to Improve Patient Care in a Psychiatric Acute Care Hospital

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

Abstract

A prior authorization (PA) is a requirement implemented by managed care organizations to help provide medications to consumers in a cost-effective manner. The PA process may be seen as a barrier by prescribers, pharmacists, pharmaceutical companies, and consumers. The lack of a standardized PA process, implemented prior to a patient’s discharge from a health care facility, may increase nonadherence to inpatient prescribed medications. Pharmacists and other health care professionals can implement a PA process specific to their institution. This article describes a pharmacist-initiated PA process implemented at an acute care psychiatric hospital. This process was initiated secondary to a need for a standardized process at the facility. To date, the process has been seen as a valuable aspect to patient care. Plans to expand this process include collecting data with regards to adherence and readmissions as well as applying for a grant to help develop a program to automate the PA program at this facility.

Publication Title

Journal of Pharmacy Practice

PubMed ID

25500556

Comments

This article was originally published online before print in Journal of Pharmacy Practice, December 2014.


The published version is available at http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0897190014562383


Copyright ©2014 Sage Publications.

This document is currently not available here.

COinS