We in pharmacy know what pharmacists have to offer the health care system, and how badly our patients need us. And we're working to enhance the profile of pharmacists in broader discussions of health care reform. So it's especially gratifying, and potentially powerful, when nonpharmacy publications publicize good ideas about pharmacists in integrated care delivery.

Such was the case when two different items appeared in the Harvard Business Review. The first one I saw was published in the October issue as "The Strategy That Will Fix Health Care." The article mentions Geisinger Health System in Pennsylvania where the care for patients with chronic conditions involves pharmacists with responsibility for following and adjusting medications. “The inclusion of pharmacists on teams,” wrote the authors, “has resulted in fewer strokes, amputations, emergency department visits, and hospitalizations, and in better performance on other measures that matter to patients.”

Shortly after, as I was catching up on my reading, I found a September 20 blog post that similarly points to positive contributions by pharmacists. The blog post, "Redefining the Patient Experience with Collaborative Care," describes a collaborative care model at the ThedaCare health system in Appleton, WI, that includes the pharmacist as the medication expert responsible for admission medication reconciliation and optimizing management of medications on a bedside care team.

We use all of this publicity to drive the point that consumers need access and coverage for pharmacists' quality patient care services. For those of you in practice, keep up the great work! We're gaining ground thanks to you.