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CE Exam

The Evolution of Pharmaceutical Care into Managed Care Environments

After studying this article, the reader should be able to:

1. Identify the role of pharmaceutical care in outcomes management.
   
2. Discuss the impact of managed care on the provision and consumption of health services.
   
3. Identify opportunities and responsibilites for pharmacists and managed care organizations to optimize patient care through the use of pharmacy services.
   

Self-assessment Questions

1. Pharmaceutical care:
a. is provided for the direct benefit of the patient's insurer.
b. has three major functions including gathering, dispensing, and counseling.
c. involves a mutually beneficial exchange between the pharmacist and the physican.
d. is an entire practice philosophy oriented toward providing care to the patient.

2. Pharmaceutical care was conceptualized:
a. as a response to demands by government that pharmacy relinquish its traditional roles.
b. to optimize patient outcomes to drug therapy while reducing health care expenditures.
c. as a means to reduce dispensing errors.
d. to increase the workload for pharmacists.

3. Which of the following is true?
a. The ability to link outcomes to practice is, in part, a function of advances in claims database management and outcomes research.
b. Capitation is more prevalent when physicians have market strength over MCOs.
c. Under managed care, physicians are better able to induce demand for health care services.
d. Pharmacists should not bear the responsibility of optimizing patient outcomes.

4. Involvement with managed care can facilitate the provision of pharmaceutical care due to:
a. the continuity of information available to pharmacists and other health care professionals.
b. stronger communication links between the pharmacist and the physician.
c. the opportunity for pharmacist participation in cognitive services, such as formulary management, drug utilization review, and gatekeeping.
d. all of the above.

5. The barrier primarily responsible for impeding the expansion of pharmacists' scope of practice has been:
a. the inability of pharmacists to provide cognitive services.
b. the refusal by society to grant pharmacists this authority.
c. the hesitancy by the profession in adopting new standards of pharmaceutical care practice.
d. the desire of MCOs that pharmacists not do so.

6. One method for pharmacists to obtain reimbursement for the provision of cognitive services is to:
a. seek monetary rewards linked to the performance of groups of pharmacists.
b. demanding higher dispensing fees.
c. disregard the need to document services provided.
d. negotiate contracts laden with incentives for prescription volume.

7. Which of the following would NOT serve a pharmacist well in improving his/her relationship with a physician?
a. Attempting to gain prescribing privileges.
b. Marketing services complementary to physicians' practices.
c. Enhancing his/her communication skills.
d. Soliciting additional medical information about the patient from the physician.

8. Recent studies have shown that pharmacists:
a. are unable to reduce drug costs in a managed environment.
b. employed by an HMO rated their personal accomplishment lower than that of a normative sample.
c. are less likely now to be involved in the development of DUE programs.
d. desire greater responsibility to promote healthy lifestyle choices.

9. The potential relationship between pharmaceutical care practice and managed care can best be described as:
a. antagonistic.
b. additive.
c. synergistic.
d. inhibitory.

10. Pharmacists' job satisfaction is increased when they:
a. assume less responsibility in rendering care for their patients.
b. attend CE programs.
c. dispense a greater number of prescriptions.
d. participate in decision-making activities.

Demographic Information (not for scoring)

11. In what type of setting do you work (leave blank if none of the responses below applies)?
a. HMO.
b. PPO.
c. Indemnity insurance.
d. Pharmacy benefits management.

12. Did this program achieve its educational objective?
a. Yes.
b. No.

13. How many minutes did it take you to complete this program, including the quiz (fill in on answer sheet)?

14. Did this program provide insights relevant or practical for you or your work?
a. Yes.
b. No.

15. Please rate the quality of this CE article.
a. Excellent.
b. Good.
c. Fair.
d. Poor.

Instructions

This quiz affords 1.0 hour (0.1 CEU) of continuing pharmaceutical education in all states that recognize the American Council on Pharmaceutical Education. To receive credit, you must score at least 70% of your quiz answers correctly. To record an answer, darken the appropriate block below. Mail your completed answer sheet to:

Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy
100 North Pitt Street, Suite 400
Alexandria, VA 22314.

Assuming a score of 70% or more, a certificate of achievement will be mailed to you within 30 days. If you fail to achieve 70% on your first try, you will be allowed only one retake. The ACPE Provider Number for this lesson is 233-000-98-002-H04. This offer of continuing education credits expires February 28, 1999.

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