With CalAIM expanding coverage for Community Health Workers (CHWs) to help support under-resourced patients, there is a need to identify and train additional healthcare team members to serve in this role. Clinical pharmacy technicians (CPTs) are suited for this expanded role and can serve as a cultural liaison between the patient and their healthcare providers (e.g. PCP, clinical pharmacist, social worker, etc.). In addition, CPTs working in community pharmacies expand local access to CHW services. This innovative solution is in various stages of maturity across the country, from pilot phase to full adoption. This virtual training will describe how clinics can train CPTs and integrate the expanded role of clinical pharmacy technicians as CHWs into their practice. Clinical pharmacy technicians, under the supervision of a partnering pharmacist, can improve health outcomes for hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions by supporting whole person care.  

During this training, participants will:

1. Describe the mission and relationships between key partners in the USC California Right Meds Collaborative.
2. List the patient care-related responsibilities of clinical pharmacy technicians in delivering comprehensive medication management (CMM) services.
3. Explain the advantages of utilizing clinical pharmacy technicians to provide CHW services.
4. Execute a process for qualifying individuals to provide CHW services according to CalAIM requirements.
5. Explain the process and procedures for implementation of the CHW benefit through L.A. Care Health Plan.
6. List the qualifications, services, tracking/documentation, and procedures required for CHW service payment.

Presented by:

Steven Chen, PharmD, FASHP, FCSHP, FNAP, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs; Heeres Chair in Community Pharmacy; Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy.

Jessica Abraham, PharmD, APP, Director of Population Health, University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy.

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Complimentary to CCALAC Members and Affiliates

Instructor Biographies:

Steven Chen, PharmD, FASHP, FCSHP, FNAP, Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs; Heeres Chair in Community Pharmacy; Professor of Clinical Pharmacy, University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy.

In addition to his roles as professor and dean, Dr. Chen is part of a team of USC faculty directing $12 million grant-funded research, evaluating the impact of pharmacist-managed patient care services for underserved populations. Dr. Chen actively partners with the state of CA Department of Public Health in evolving the state laws and regulations on the practice of pharmacy. His current clinical practice role includes the supervision of clinical and consultative pharmacy services to 19 safety net community clinics in Southern California. At these clinics, Dr. Chen oversees teams of clinical pharmacists, pharmacy residents, pharmacy students and pharmacy techs. Prior to joining the USC faculty in 1998, Dr. Chen provided administrative and clinical services to Cedars-Sinai Medical Group (CSMG) in Beverly Hills and served as a Faculty-in-Residence at Cedars- Sinai Medical Center. From 1994-1998, Dr. Chen served as Clinical and Residency Coordinator at the VA Outpatient Clinic in Los Angeles. Prior to that, he helped develop the Ambulatory Care and Education Program at Sepulveda VA Medical Center also in Los Angeles. Dr. Chen’s responsibilities include the provision of disease management and consultative services and coordination of clerkship students at several safety net clinics. Pharmacist-run disease management services provided include asthma, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure. His lecture topics for the School of Pharmacy and postgraduate education include asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, arthritis, dyslipidemia, and other cardiovascular diseases. Chen received an honorary fellowship of the California Society of Health-System Pharmacists in 2000 and an honorary fellowship of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in 2001. He received the Best Practices Award from ASHP in 2002 and has NABP certification in dyslipidemia and asthma management. Dr. Chen has received 7 teaching awards from USC students and residents. In 2013, Dr. Chen was awarded the American Pharmacists Association Foundation Pinnacle Award for Individual Achievement.

Jessica Abraham, PharmD, APP, Director of Population Health, University of Southern California, School of Pharmacy.

Dr. Jessica Abraham is Director of Population Health for the University of Southern California (USC) Mann School of Pharmacy, where she establishes partnerships with stakeholders to develop value-based pharmacy strategies aligned with their population health priorities. She directs the USC Virtual Pharmacist Care Center (VPCC), which provides medication management services remotely. Her USC VPCC team is comprised of clinical pharmacists and technicians as well as pharmacy residents, interns and students who support the provision of clinical services using a combination of video and/or telephonic outreach. Additionally, she manages the operations of various population health initiatives at USC, such as the California Right Meds Collaborative (CRMC), which is an innovative healthcare solution that pairs physicians with pharmacists to save time, money and lives. Dr. Abraham completed her Doctorate of Pharmacy and PGY-1 pharmacy practice residency in ambulatory care at the USC Mann School of Pharmacy. Previous to her current employment with USC, she worked in HealthCare Partners, now part of Optum as of 2019. Dr. Abraham was also one of the lead pharmacists providing care as part of USC’s $12 million CMMI grant promoting pharmacists collaboratively working with physicians to improve patient care and health outcomes while reducing costs.