Ambulatory care pharmacists' perceived barriers to the implementation of medication therapy management

Drug related problems (DRPs) and their resultant morbidity, mortality and costs have been well documented. Drug regimen review (DRR) and other pharmacist-delivered medication management interventions have proven to be effective in mediating DRPs. Since the early 1970's pharmacist services directed at mediating DRPs have become institutionalized in various care environments; tertiary care environments require an active clinical (vs. distributive) pharmacist program for JACHO accreditation and, in turn Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement and long-term care environments require DRR monthly, at transitions of care and status changes.;In 2006, DRP mediation in the ambulatory environment became institutionalized as a part of the Medicare Modernization Act's, Medicare Part D Medication Therapy Management (MTM) program. MTM's place in DRP mediation became further institutionalized as a component of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) MTM is the process by which clinicians monitor patients' drug regimens and intervenes with recommendations to ensure that patients achieve optimal therapeutic outcomes from their medications.;A 2006 survey indicated that ambulatory pharmacists identified barriers in incorporating MTM into their distribution-based practices. This work replicates the 2006 survey to determine if pharmacists' perceived barriers to implementing MTM services in the ambulatory setting have changed.;The survey used in 2006 was redeployed using an email survey tool. A request to complete a survey was emailed to 700 pharmacists whose names and email addresses were obtained from pharmacy association websites. Data will be evaluated to understand how responses from the current survey differed from the 2006 survey.