QS/1 Creates Program to Tailor Care Plans for Patients

SPARTANBURG, S.C. (February 7, 2017)—QS/1 is proud to be a participant in a pilot health care initiative that will enhance the role pharmacists play in providing integrated clinical services for patients. The collaboration is being facilitated by Community Care of North Carolina (CCNC) to bring together health information technology and pharmacy management providers.

“QS/1 is constantly looking for ways to help improve patient care,” said Ed Vess, R.Ph., president of the South Carolina Pharmacy Association and QS/1 senior manager of Market Analysts. “This program being tested across North Carolina is a unique opportunity to validate the important role pharmacists play in the lives of patients.”

Using the standards adopted in the use of electronic medical records, CCNC will develop a system that allows health care providers and pharmacies to tailor a care plan for patients that can be updated and shared electronically.

“QS/1 will provide the portal within our pharmacy management systems to allow pharmacists to develop the care plan and then share it with health care providers,” Vess added. “This additional documentation will allow all involved to see the progress, or any setbacks, in the patient’s health.”

CCNC will receive the care plans and use the standardized electronic health record-ready data to assess the quality of care and manage payment for enhanced-service offerings. The move to an interoperable care plan linking pharmacists with other clinicians will reduce redundant data entry, make care plans more consistent in structure and allow clinical information emanating from community pharmacies to be more easily exchanged with other members of the care team.

The payment for enhanced services is part of a three-year cooperative agreement funded by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation to test new reimbursement models for community pharmacies serving Medicaid, Medicare and NC Health Choice beneficiaries.

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