Implementation of a Clinical Pharmacist Service in the Hospice Setting: Financial and Clinical Impacts

Abstract

Hospice is a unique environment among all clinical fields of practice. Although every other specialty aims to work toward a curative goal or prevention of mortality, hospice completely redirects focus solely on pain and symptom management and sustaining the highest quality of life possible. Addition of a clinical pharmacist to the interdisciplinary group (IDG) is not common, but Haven: Advanced Illness Care added a clinical pharmacist to the team in 2017. Substantial financial impacts were made in the first year, and clinical impacts were well regarded by physicians and nurses. A cost savings of $427,705 was observed, and the clinical pharmacist provided a great deal of expertise to the IDG. Adding a clinical pharmacist to the IDG of other hospice organizations may prove to be a worthy investment.

Keywords:

• Drug cost
• hospice
• palliative care
• pharmacist

Declaration of interest

The author reports no conflicts of interest. The author alone is responsible for the content and writing of the article.