Pharmacoeconomic education in U.S. schools of pharmacy

American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, Summer 1998 by Rascati, Karen L, Conner, Therese M, Draugalis, JoLaine R

The purpose of this paper was to survey U.S. schools of pharmacy to determine the extent of pharmacoeconomic education offered during the 1996-97 academic year. A survey was sent to all 79 U.S. schools of pharmacy in June 1997 using a combination of survey techniques (electronic-mail, facsimiles, and phone calls). A 100 percent response rate was achieved within two months. Of the 79 schools, 64 (81 percent) offered pharmacoeconomic education at some level during the 1996-97 academic year. Sixty-three (80 percent) schools offered pharmacoeconomic education at the BS and/or PharmD level. Of the 55 schools of pharmacy that offer MS and/or PhD degrees, 36 (65 percent) offered pharmacoeconomic education at this level. In addition six respondents reported that their school would begin to offer pharmacoeconomics before the year 2000, and four reported their school planned to increase the number of hours of pharmacoeconomics education in the near future. The results of this survey indicate that pharmacoeconomic education in U.S. schools of pharmacy is on the rise.

INTRODUCTION

A number of professional organizations are seizing the opportunity to provide training programs in pharmacoeconomics and outcomes assessment for pharmacists. For example, the American College of Clinical Pharmacy has a program titled, "Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes - Applications for Patient Care" consisting of three home study modules which can be supplemented with optional live workshops(1). The fourth module is a practicum where the learner can apply the material from the first three modules by conducting an outcomes assessment in his or her setting. As well, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists initiated their "Competitive Edge: Advanced Training in Conducting and Using Outcome Studies" in the Fall of 1997. Their four-month program involves intensive home study, two extensive workshops, and a wrap-up session where participants present their final outcomes project(2).

The need for these types of practitioner training programs was heralded in late 1994 at invitational conferences sponsored by ASHP - "Applying Patient Outcomes and Pharmacoeconomics in Patient Care(3) and APhA - "Patient Outcomes of Pharmaceutical Interventions: A Scientific Foundation for the Future"(4). As well, both conferences explored the education and training needs for developing research skills in pharmaceutical outcomes research. At the APhA conference, a framework for graduate program requirements and a suggested core curriculum was developed based, in part, on a 1993 conference, "The Role of Colleges of Pharmacy in Meeting the Pharmacoeconomic Needs of the Pharmaceutical Industry"(5). As of July 1994, there were 92 individuals enrolled in graduate pharmacoeconomic education and training programs at 18 U.S. Colleges of Pharmacy and program development efforts were on-going at several other institutions(6).

As early as 1991, Draugalis and Jones-Grizzle asserted that it was necessary to include pharmacoeconomic topics in the professional curricula via incorporation of the subject matter into a number of already established courses(7). Juergens, et al. determined the curricular coverage of statistical and analytical techniques including economic evaluation methods; where in 1992, approximately one-fifth of BS programs and one-third of PharmD programs taught principles of economic evaluation in required courses(8). Kolassa followed with a call for a basic course in pharmaceutical economics as a curricular requirement with the rationale being that pharmacists, especially those in administrative or managerial positions. must possess these skills in order to make appropriate recommendations and decisions in carrying out their job responsibilities(9).

The citations above suggest there is a high demand for individuals with pharmacoeconomic education and training, and that schools of pharmacy were planning to expand their programs to help fulfill this need. An updated survey of pharmacoeconomic education provided at the undergraduate and graduate level was needed to assess the trends. The purpose of this research was to assess and summarize pharmacoeconomic education offered in U.S. schools of pharmacy for the 1996-1997 school year.

METHODS

Sampling and Survey Methods

The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) was contacted, and a current list of electronic-mail addresses for Deans' offices of U.S. Schools of Pharmacy was forwarded to the authors via the Internet. If an e-mail address was not listed in this AACP data, a facsimile (FAX) of the survey was sent to a faculty member at the school who was listed as teaching either Social and Administrative Sciences (SAdS) or Pharmacy Practice (PhPr) in the 199697 AACP roster(10). If no response was received within two weeks, an e-mail survey was sent to another faculty member (other than the Dean's office) or a phone call was placed to a faculty member or to the Dean's office.

Surveys were first sent electronically on June 16, 1997 and the follow-ups continued for two months until a 100 percent response rate was achieved. Because the results are descriptive in nature, no statistical tests were conducted.