Characterization of clinical pharmacist and hospitalist collaborative relationships

IntroductionHospitalists provide inpatient care including coordinating with other providers and transitioning care to the community. Clinical pharmacists interact with hospitalists, usually on multidisciplinary teams. A statement by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and the Society of Hospital Medicine promotes collaboration and encourages interdisciplinary optimization of patient care. However, literature detailing this collaboration is sparse. It is unclear how to utilize these joint working relationships most effectively. ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to describe the environment of pharmacist and hospitalist collaborative relationships and activities of pharmacists practicing with hospitalists for foundational information. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study. An Institutional Review Board-approved survey was distributed to pharmacists and hospitalists via email. Questions considered the team and the environment, clinical pharmacist activities related to the pharmacists' patient care process, and perceived barriers to effective teamwork. Results were analyzed with descriptive statistics. ResultsSeventy pharmacists and 25 hospitalists participated in the survey. Most were from the Midwest or Southeast United States and practicing up to 10 years in a large health care system. Pharmacists spent the most time on development of a therapeutic plan (1-5 ranking scale [1 = most, 5 = least time spent]; median 2; range 1-5.) There were variations in responses related to the institutional staffing model allowing for collaboration with hospitalists, whether technology enhanced collaboration and additional job responsibilities hindered collaboration, and whether absence of pharmacy participation on rounds was noticed. Most hospitalists (68%) initiated frequent communication with a pharmacist. Hospitalists (32%) would collaborate with a pharmacist more frequently if a specific individual was designated for the position. ConclusionsClinical pharmacists and hospitalists collaborate in team-based care environments within larger health care systems. This hypothesis-generating survey attempts to assess the current environment. Further research can work toward establishing practice standards and improving collaborations.