Achieving blood pressure control among renal transplant recipients by integrating electronic health technology and clinical pharmacy services

PURPOSEThe implementation and outcomes of a program combining electronic home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM) and pharmacist-provided medication therapy management (MTM) services in a renal transplantation clinic are described. SUMMARYPatients enrolled in the program were provided with a computer-enabled blood pressure monitor. A dedicated renal transplantation pharmacist was integrated into the renal transplantation team under a collaborative care practice agreement. The collaborative care agreement allowed the pharmacist to authorize medication additions, deletions, and dosage changes. Comprehensive disease and blood pressure education was provided by a clinical pharmacist. In the pretransplantation setting, the pharmacist interviewed the renal transplant candidate and documents allergies, verified the patientʼs medication profile, and identified and assessed barriers to medication adherence. A total of 50 renal transplant recipients with at least one recorded home blood pressure reading and at least one year of follow-up were included in our analysis. A significant reduction in mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure values were observed at 30, 90, 180, and 360 days after enrollment in the program (p < 0.05). Pharmacist interventions were documented for 37 patients. Medication-related problems accounted for 46% of these interventions and included dosage modifications, regimen changes, and mitigation of barriers to medication access and adherence. CONCLUSIONImplementation of electronic HBPM and pharmacist-provided MTM services implemented in a renal transplant clinic was associated with sustained improvements in blood pressure control. Incorporation of a pharmacist in the renal transplant clinic resulted in the detection and resolution of medication-related problems.