The Center for Innovative Pharmacy Solutions (CIPS)

Background

Increasingly powerful and complex drug combinations are used to treat patients with chronic diseases and multiple health conditions. Even though prescription medications represent an expanding portion of health care costs, the complexity and potency of drug therapy does not always translate into improved patient outcomes. Side-effects, drug interactions, and confusion about how to take medications can impact a patient's adherence to a medication regimen. Positive health outcomes hinge on the effective use of medications in patient care.

Mission and Vision

The Center for Innovative Pharmacy Solutions (CIPS) is a national resource center and leader in the development of innovative patient care and business solutions to health problems. CIPS capitalizes on the expertise of the pharmacist to:

• Improve the health of patients through the most appropriate use of medication therapy
• Maximize pharmacists' contribution on the health care team
• Integrate evidence-based sustainable pharmacist care and services into the standard of patient care in all health care settings
• Shape state and federal policy to incorporate these models of care and payments for these models into the health care delivery system

The knowledge generated by CIPS' programs will be brought to national attention and incorporated into the changing health care environment to improve medication adherence, patient safety, and chronic disease management.

Capabilities

CIPS captures the intellectual contributions and skills of pharmacists as they create pharmacist-directed patient care models that improve clinical outcomes, ensure medication adherence, and reduce health care costs. The Center develops business models to parallel CIPS' clinical services for a variety of health care settings, including ambulatory care, community pharmacy, hospitals, institutions, skilled nursing facilities, and assisted living facilities. These models promote seamless integration of clinical expertise, scientific evidence, and sustainable business practices.

The Center for Innovative Pharmacy Solutions:

• Creates models of pharmacist-directed patient care and refines existing models including chronic disease management and prevention, medication therapy management, medication management review and collaborative practice.
• Tests and evaluates health outcomes, cost savings, patient safety, and the quality of care of innovative models in a variety of pharmacy practice settings.
• Provides professional training for pharmacists to gain advanced knowledge and skills necessary to implement new patient care models in their own practice setting and to receive compensation for those services. For more information about the CIPS Knowledge Enterprise, visit www.pharmacists4knowledge.org.
• Organizes networks of pharmacies offering pharmacist-directed education and care programs and analyzes relevant trends throughout Maryland.
• Fosters dialogue among policy-makers and health care leaders, and advocates for pharmacists' compensation for the care they provide.
• Customizes training, support, and practice models for all settings and disseminates its work throughout the pharmacy profession.

CIPS' programs and activities result in products and services that address medication-related gaps in health care and promote improved medication effectiveness at the patient, provider, and health-system levels.

For a full description, download our informational fact sheet or visit http://www.pharmacy.umaryland.edu/centers/cips/.