Pharmacy Practice Model Initiative of Michigan

The planning Task Force created by MSHP began implementing the initiative in Michigan by reviewing the 147 national recommendations and grouping them into related areas of focus. Six areas of focus were identified: acute care, ambulatory care, education and training, financial and organizational affairs, pharmacy technicians, and technology and information systems.

With support from the MSHP Board of Directors, the Task Force contracted William Zellmer, MPH, consultant, writer and speaker on strategic issues in pharmacy practice, to assist the Society. In consultation with Zellmer, the Task Force planned a PPMI² Conference.

To prepare for the conference, the Task Force wanted to establish a baseline pharmacy practice model in Michigan. This was accomplished through the use of two surveys. Zellmer obtained permission from ASHP to use their web-based PPMI Hospital Self-Assessment tool, which, at the time, was not available for general use. A link to this self-assessment tool was sent to the pharmacy director at each Michigan hospital. Approximately one-third of the directors in the state completed the survey.

A second, customized survey created by the PPMI² Planning Task Force was sent to each conference invitee prior to the event to obtain additional information that was not captured in the national survey regarding the use of pharmacy technicians, education and training, and pharmacy technology. The survey served as an assessment tool to review the current status of health-system pharmacy in the state of Michigan, and identify the challenges pharmacy leaders face as they align their practice with patient and institutional needs. Forty-two of the 50 invitees completed the survey prior to the event.

The PPMI² Conference took place in September 2011 at the Michigan Pharmacists Association Headquarters in Lansing. It began with a keynote presentation by Zellmer describing national trends that are affecting health-system pharmacists. Following his presentation, highlights from the two surveys were provided. Next, the participants broke apart into work groups to identify major issues affecting their assigned focus area. All groups then convened to review the findings of each group. Individual work groups were then asked to provide recommendations to solve the issues identified during the morning session. After several hours, the work groups reconvened and presented their recommendations. Each participant was given an electronic voting device and asked to vote on the feasibility and impact of each recommendation. The choices were: low impact/low feasibility, high impact/low feasibility, low impact/high feasibility or high impact/high feasibility. A total of 56 recommendations were made during the conference.

Fifty leaders in health-system pharmacy practice were invited to attend the PPMI² Conference in September 2011 at the MPA Headquarters in Lansing. Click here to access a complete roster of participants.

Prior to the PPMI² Conference, MSHP sent the pharmacy director at each Michigan hospital a link to ASHP's web-based PPMI Hospital Self-Assessment tool. Approximately one-third of the directors in the state completed the survey. Results of each section of the survey are provided below.

• Acute care
• Ambulatory care
• Education and training
• Leadership
• Pharmacy technicians
• Technology and information systems

Following the PPMI² Conference in September 2011, a list of recommendations for each area of focus (acute care, ambulatory care, education and training, financial and organizational affairs, pharmacy technicians, and technology and information systems) was created, which outlines feasibility and impact.

More than 80 percent of the recommendations were deemed to be high impact/high feasibility. Many of these recommendations have already been incorporated into MSHP Committee charges. Some of the recommendations, particularly those related to pharmacy technology and informatics, did not align with a current MSHP Committee. To solve this issue, the MSHP Board created an IT Task Force to develop an action plan related to these recommendations. This task force later became a standing MSHP committee.

Finally, it was recognized that many of the recommendations would take several years to complete. To ensure that MSHP maintains a focus on the initiative, the Planning Task Force will monitor progress with regard to the PPMI² and provide guidance to the MSHP Board.

During the 2013 MSHP Strategic Planning Retreat, the MSHP Board of Directors evaluated progress that has been made on the 56 recommendations identified in 2011. To ensure that Michigan continues accomplishing its goals, the Board members brainstormed ideas to continue utilizing Committees to achieve the recommended outcomes of the PPMI² Conference. 

• Sparrow Hospital, Lansing

Technology and Information Systems

• Lakeland HealthCare, Saint Joseph

Various Programs

• Detroit Medical Center, Detroit
• Genesys Regional Medical Center, Grand Blanc
• University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor