Evaluation of a psychiatric pharmacist consultation service in a multispecialty outpatient clinic

Background

Integrated care programs provide both medical and mental health care in clinical settings. Psychiatric pharmacists play a key role in optimizing patient care when integrated into a healthcare team. This project describes the implementation and trends of a psychiatric pharmacist consultation service in a multispecialty outpatient through an integrated behavioral healthcare model.

Methods

This is a retrospective study analyzing a psychiatric pharmacist consultation service at an academic multispecialty outpatient clinic. Eligible patients were aged ≥17 years and seen by the psychiatric pharmacist between June 1, 2019 and June 30, 2022. Patient demographics, reasons for referral, and pharmacist interventions were collected. Patient outcomes on depression, anxiety, and diabetes were also explored. Descriptive statistics were used to quantify information.

Results

A total of 572 encounters were identified. Of those, 285 (49.8%) represented unique patients. Over the 36-month period, an average of 16 consults were conducted per month. Anxiety and depressive disorders, pain syndromes, and adult attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder were the most common diagnoses listed as reasons for consultation. An average of five recommendations or interventions were provided by the psychiatric pharmacist at each initial consultation. Anxiety and depression symptom scores, as well as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) values, were lower following pharmacist consultation.

Conclusion

Psychiatric pharmacists can serve a unique role at multispecialty clinics by providing consultation for patients with psychiatric conditions, chronic pain, medical conditions, and polypharmacy. This study demonstrates the successful utilization of such a service and suggests a psychiatric pharmacist's expertise contributes to improved depression, anxiety, and glycemic outcomes. The multispecialty outpatient setting represents an opportunity to further explore growth for psychiatric pharmacists and the impact these services have on patient outcomes.