Kirsten Elwood, PharmD Candidate 2016 Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences

Overview

The Delta Rx Internship Program has been pivotal in my growth and development as both a professional and a student pharmacist. This experience allowed me to develop a stronger grasp on the value of independent pharmacy in today’s practice environment. I emerged from the experience with a better understanding of the passion and dedication it takes to make a pharmacy flourish in today’s market.

Modules

Each “Shaping Your Pharmacy Future” Module from the Delta Rx Institute presented me with a comprehensive set of information to achieve a better understanding of the complexities of pharmacy ownership. Each module was accompanied by thought provoking reflection questions that inspired discussion with my mentor. The following are the modules offered in the “Shaping Your Pharmacy Future” Program:

• Strategic Planning• Human Resources• Money Matters• Marketing• Legal Issues• Ownership

Internship Sponsors and Special Thanks

I extend a sincere thank you to Bill Drilling for allowing me the privilege of learning from him over the course of my internship. This has truly been an invaluable experience in exploring my interests and passions within the field of pharmacy. Thanks, also, to the other pharmacy management and staff for their friendliness and warm welcome to life in Sioux City.

A big thank you to my entrepreneurial internship sponsors: McKesson, Pharmacist’s Mutual, the DELTA Rx Institute, and Drake University College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

DELTA Rx Institute – Drilling Pharmacy Entrepreneurial Internship

Summer 2013

Internship Successes and Opportunities Provided

• Attended local pharmacy meetings with pharmacy owners to address and resolve problems faced by partnering health care providers

• Visited various long term care and nursing facilities serviced by the pharmacy• Sent communications to local lawmakers addressing challenges that independent

pharmacies face in today’s practice environment• Established contract purchasing agreements with vendors through group purchasing

organizations to negotiate better prices for drugs dispensed to long term care patients

• Updated the pharmacy HIPAA Policies and Procedures guide in order to stay in compliance with current rules and regulations

• Created wallet-sized medication cards for patients to carry to the clinic, hospital, or in the event of an emergency

• Helped plan customer appreciation events• Worked with social media outlets to promote over the counter products to patients• Created a packaging system to promote sale of over the counter products in clusters• Completed the DELTA Rx Shaping Your Pharmacy Future online program• Attended the Iowa Pharmacy Association Annual Meeting in Coralville, Iowa

Final Internship Project: Medication Therapy Management Program

The main project of focus during my internship was to create a medication therapy management (MTM) program for the pharmacy. The program looked to provide MTM services to all patients, regardless of their eligibility on the Outcomes and Mirixa MTM billing platforms. It was designed to fit the needs of each individual patient; some required comprehensive medication reviews, while others needed more simple interventions.

I began by researching the rules and regulations surrounding providing MTM services. Once I had a thorough understanding of those expectations, I moved on to identifying good candidates for MTM services. From there on out, I contacted patients, performed MTM services under the supervision of my mentor, and followed up by contacting prescribers and creating patient takeaways. Beyond helping to provide the patient services, I also created a policies and procedures manual and an Outcomes user guide for others at the pharmacy to use as reference material in the future.

Pictured above are pharmacy owners Bill Drilling (left) and Don Drilling (right) and members of the Drilling Pharmacy staff.