June 28, 2019
By Whitney Tarpy
OXFORD, Miss. –The University of Mississippi School of Pharmacy and North Mississippi Medical Center renewed a faculty support partnership that will continue to provide care to patients with chronic conditions throughout the region.
The North Mississippi Medical Center/Health Services Faculty Support allows Adam Pate, clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice, to work twice a week at the New Albany Medical Clinic, an ambulatory care center affiliated with the medical center.
Adam Pate
Pate provides chronic care management services while working in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of providers to help improve patient outcomes and provider satisfaction.
“We see a lot of patients with 15 or 20 medications on their profile from three or more providers,” Pate said. “It’s difficult for the providers to make informed decisions if they don’t know everything the patient is taking or if they’re taking medications appropriately. Chronic care management allows us to fill in that gap.”
With a comprehensive care approach, Pate helps patients control their health care. The clinic works with patients to provide medication plans and recommends changes to treatments based on physician and patient preferences.
Additionally, the role takes a holistic view of patients, assisting with social and mental health services in addition to prescriptions. Pate assesses the patients and helps them access services or medical equipment they may need.
In this position, Pate also serves as a preceptor for Ole Miss student pharmacists completing their required ambulatory care experiences.
“This role directly benefits the patients and collaborating providers who often have less time available to spend with patients due to the volume of patients and complexities of diseases,” said Seena Haines, chair and professor of pharmacy practice at the School of Pharmacy. “It is also an excellent environment for learners to sharpen their knowledge, skills and abilities as part of our professional curriculum.”