College Hometown Pharmacy – the ACPHS-owned pharmacy located in Hometown Health Center in Schenectady, NY – submitted the 2nd most eCare plans in the country during the month of March according to The Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN).
CPESN is a nationwide network of more than 2,200 community pharmacies that strives to advance patient care through new enhanced services and the improvement of existing service offerings. One way it seeks to achieve this objective is through the creation of Pharmacist eCare plans. To date, 507 CPESN pharmacies have submitted eCare plans through the network.
eCare plans document a full spectrum of patient-related information recorded by the pharmacist which can include medication regimens, laboratory results, and ongoing health concerns. Since the eCare plans are built on an interoperable platform, they can be easily shared with other providers who may also contribute their own observations.
College Hometown Pharmacy submitted 57 eCare plans in March 2019 – the latest month in which data is available. That figure was just four less than the top performing pharmacy in the CPESN network. The majority of eCare plans were filed on behalf of patients who have behavioral health issues or who suffer from asthma.
“Getting patients to consistently take their medications is a challenge faced by all health care providers,” says Dr. Olawonuola Abiona, the pharmacist who oversees the eCare program for College Hometown Pharmacy. “With the patient’s permission, we are able to follow up with them on a monthly basis to see if they have any questions or are experiencing any problems with their medications. Our goal is help resolve potential issues before they spiral into bigger problems.”
Dr. Abiona is assisted with the administration of eCare plans by student pharmacists from Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. She teaches students how to counsel patients about their conditions and supervises the students' follow-up calls with patients. “In many cases, we find that if a patient stops taking one of their medications, they will stop taking multiple medications, which only compounds their health issues. The students help ensure we are able to reach all of the patients in the program and provide them with the guidance necessary to follow their treatment plans.”
“We are proud of the care delivered by our providers at Hometown Health, but it is admittedly difficult to monitor each patient’s progress once they leave the clinic,” says Joe Gambino, CEO of Hometown Health Centers. “Having Dr. Abiona and her students stay engaged with patients throughout their course of care greatly improves the likelihood of positive health outcomes.”
About Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Founded in 1881, Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) is a private, independent institution with a long tradition of academic and research excellence. The College’s mission is to educate the next generation of leaders to improve the health of our society. In separate reports by The Wall Street Journal (2019) and the Brookings Institution (2015), ACPHS was named the #1 value-added college in the country. The College has campuses in Albany, NY, and Colchester, VT.
CONTACT:
Gil Chorbajian
Executive Director of Marketing and Communications
Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
(518) 694-7394
gil.chorbajian@acphs.edu