The majority of pharmacists who have successfully implemented patient care services typically have a comprehensive, on-going plan which serves as a template for their efforts.  In fact, without a detailed plan it is very easy to become discouraged allowing the new consultation room, computer system and patient waiting area to become daily negative reinforcement that patient care may be just an academic adventure.  Fortunately, the process of developing a plan for patient care does not have to be a formidable task.  By taking the time to answer four basic questions you will be well on your way to creating a detailed road map for developing, implementing, providing and evaluating your patient care services.

Question 1: Where are you now?

An important starting point in developing a plan for patient care is to determine the present level of services you provide as well as the internal and external factors that currently or potentially can impact your efforts.  In strategic planning jargon this is often referred to as a “SWOT” analysis.  Because the focus is on the development of patient care services it will be advantageous to concentrate your SWOT analysis on major practice elements frequently demonstrated to influence the provision of patient care by pharmacists.  Consequently, it is important that you obtain sufficient input from those individuals who will either directly or indirectly be affected by the new service.  To assess your current practice, start by identifying the strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats related to each of the items in Table 1.  Be tenacious while investigating and analyzing your practice.  In some instances it will be helpful to conduct surveys of patients and even pharmacy staff.  Work-sampling studies can help identify options for improving operational efficiency.  Regardless of your methods, the most important factor when completing a practice assessment is to obtain honest feedback from customers, colleagues, friends and any other professional contacts relevant to your core business.