This study will measure the effect of a novel pharmacy practice model on pediatric patients with hypertension. In North Louisiana, many patients have to travel to see subspecialists for treatment for hypertension and elevated blood pressure, which has many costs including direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs, and indirect costs like missed time from work, school, or social obligations. Also, many patients who have to travel to get to their appointments have a high rate of missed appointments, which can be bad for overall health. This study will use a pharmacist to perform collaborative drug therapy management with pediatric cardiologists to manage therapy for patients with hypertension or elevated blood pressure. Patients will monitor blood pressure at home and follow up with the pharmacist by telecommunications. Pharmacist drug therapy management and telemedicine have been studied separately, but this is the first study with pharmacist drug therapy management by telemedicine for pediatric patients. If this model is successful, it could be replicated in other rural areas to improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
266
Patients will be seen by pharmacist for collaborative drug therapy management.
Ochsner Health Center for Children
West Monroe, Louisiana, United States
Proportion of patients with adequately-controlled hypertension at 3 months.
Time frame: 3 months
Proportion of patients with adequately-controlled hypertension at 6 months.
Time frame: 6 months
Proportion of patients with adequately-controlled hypertension at 12 months.
Time frame: 12 months
Time to adequate control of hypertension.
Defined as the first appointment with controlled hypertension.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year.
Appointment adherence
Proportion of appointments attended
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year.
Number and type of serious adverse drug events
Number of serious adverse drug events in aggregate and subgrouped.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year.
Number of unplanned health care encounters related to hypertension
Surrogate for adverse event associated with treatment or disease state.
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year.
Costs to patients
Includes direct medical, direct nonmedical, indirect costs
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year.
Costs to communities
Includes healthcare resource utilization, lost productivity
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year.
Cost to healthcare systems and payors
Time frame: Through study completion, an average of 1 year.
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