Quantifying Clinical Pharmacist Activities in a Tertiary Care Hospital Using Key Performance Indicators

Abstract

Background: Key performance indicators (KPIs) are a set of measures used to help an organization in assessing and achieving goals critical to success. The aim of this study was to quantify the clinical pharmacists’ contribution to patient care in a tertiary care hospital using predefined clinical pharmacy KPIs. Method: This study was a prospective, observational study conducted by the Pharmaceutical Care Division of a tertiary care hospital. Clinical pharmacy KPIs were submitted by each clinical pharmacist on a monthly basis for 12 months during 2017. All clinical pharmacists up to the managerial level were included in the study. Data were analyzed, stratified, and correlated using Microsoft Excel, JMP statistical software, and Spearman correlation. The study was approved by the hospital’s Office of Research Affairs, RAC number 2171-080. Results: A total of 42 clinical pharmacists reviewed 104 728 patient encounters. They performed an adjusted average of 1221 interventions with an acceptance rate of 91.5%, 273 medication reconciliations, 325 discharge consultations, 332 pharmacokinetic consultations, 700 total parenteral nutrition consultations and follow-ups, and 12 688 electronic order verifications per clinical pharmacist per year. These interventions collectively resulted in a cost saving of $316 087.65 per clinical pharmacist per year. Statistical significance with positive correlation was noted for a number of precepted residents/students and clinical pharmacists’ experience (R = 0.382, P =.013) and board certification (R = 0.428, P =.0047). Conclusion: Clinical pharmacy KPIs were able to quantify the clinical pharmacists’ contributions to patient care and cost savings, which may lead to improve, standardize, and benchmark clinical pharmacy activities in the region.