What Is A Collaborative Practice Agreement?

Collaborative Practice Agreement (CPA) was first passed in the state of Washington in 1979. Almost all states have authorized a CPA and allowed pharmacists to enter into a team-based healthcare services agreement that permits them to initiate certain medical functions.

Pharmacists have an important role in providing quality healthcare. Collaborative practice agreement recognizes this role in chronic disease management. In this article, learn about essential facts about CPA, such as what a collaborative practice agreement is, the types of CPA, the key components of CPA, and the difference between a CPA and a statewide protocol.

What’s In The Article?

• What Is A Collaborative Practice Agreement?

• The Role Of A Pharmacist In A Collaborative Practice Agreement

  • Medical Care Pharmacists Can Provide Through A Collaborative Practice Agreement

• What Are The Two Types Of A Collaborative Practice Agreement?

  • Patient-Specific CPA

  • Population-Specific CPA

• What Are The Components Of A Collaborative Practice Agreement?

• Collaborative Practice Agreement Vs. Statewide Protocols: What’s The Difference?

• Final Thoughts

What Is A Collaborative Practice Agreement?

The Collaborative practice agreement is a formal relationship between pharmacists and prescribers, such as physicians or other healthcare providers.

CPA allows pharmacists to facilitate certain patient care functions, such as modifying or discontinuing drug therapy, outlined by the collaborating prescriber in addition to their scope of practice but within specified conditions and training.

The Role Of A Pharmacist In A Collaborative Practice Agreement

State-licensed pharmacists who utilize a CPA should be able to implement healthcare services and medical interventions pursuant to the agreement. Pharmacists are allowed to perform other clinical functions through CPA. They should communicate with the collaborating prescribers or physicians when delivering these patient care services.

Pharmacist technicians can also provide assistance to pharmacists in documentation, prescription process, and other activities related to CPA.

Medical Care Pharmacists Can Provide Through A Collaborative Practice Agreement

With a prescriber's permission, pharmacists can adjust the quantity of drug therapy. They can also interchange dosage forms to help patients take their medications comfortably. It is often applicable to treating chronic conditions as it requires a combination of drugs. This intervention can also reduce multiple medicines' adverse effects and costs.

Through a collaborative practice agreement, pharmacists can also adjust the dosage of drug therapy following clinical guidelines to optimize the efficacy of the medication.

Pharmacists can also prescribe drug therapies for self-treatment, reducing patients' expenses and improving the accessibility of over-the-counter medications.

What are the Two Types Of A Collaborative Practice Agreement?

A collaborative practice agreement is a dependent prescribing authority for pharmacists more restrictive than autonomous prescribing. This agreement is either patient-specific CPA or population-specific CPA.

Patient-Specific CPA

Patient-specific CPA is the most restrictive among the prescribing authorities given to pharmacists. In this collaborative practice agreement, pharmacists are only allowed to prescribe to patients listed in the agreement. This CPA is commonly used for chronic disease management.

Population-Specific CPA

Population-specific CPA allows pharmacists to prescribe to a certain patient population indicated in the argument. These are patients who are within the described inclusion criteria. Population-specific CPA is typically used for acute and chronic care, preventive care, and public health care, such as for prescribing Naloxone, hormonal contraceptives, and immunization.

What Are The Components Of A Collaborative Practice Agreement?

The collaborative practice agreement must state its purpose and the type of authority given to the pharmacists within the identified parameters. CPA should also include important information about collaborating professionals.

The definition of patients must be stated as well, and the medical interventions, disease states, or patient care a pharmacist can handle are also key components of a CPA.

Prescribers are also required to be in good standing with a license to practice in the state. Their eligibility requirements can vary from state to state. Training and education requirements should also be identified since collaborating professionals should maintain up-to-date knowledge about the state laws and clinical guidelines covered in the agreement.

The state may also require pharmacists to complete continuing education. AchieveCE provides ACPE-accredited continuing education courses for pharmacists on various topics. These courses are delivered online via live webinars and home studies through monographs and webcasts.

Healthcare providers collaborating in the CPA must also state their liabilities for their legal protection when unintended consequences happen. While it depends on the state, liability insurance is recommended to all collaborating healthcare professionals.

Documentation of accurate records and all CPA activities is also essential to have effective communication between the collaborators and patients. Whether documented in electronic or physical form, these records must be accessible and efficient to improve healthcare service quality.

The CPA’s validity period must also be aligned with state laws. The purpose of CPA renewal is to ensure that the procedures covered in the agreement are updated and effective.

Collaborative Practice Agreement Vs. Statewide Protocols: What’s The Difference?

Collaborative practice agreement is more restrictive than statewide protocols. While CPA is an agreement between pharmacists and prescribers, the statewide protocol is an agreement between pharmacists and a state’s authorized organization, such as the board of pharmacy.

Final Thoughts

Collaborative practice agreement is organized team-based care that has given pharmacists the authority to make medical interventions and utilize patient care functions. This practice can help reduce barriers between the patient and physicians which can impact the overall quality of healthcare services.