RESUMEN
DISCLAIMER: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles related to the COVID-19 pandemic, AJHP is posting these manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. PURPOSE: To describe the implementation of a contracted pharmacy service model for a co-located long-term acute care hospital (LTAC). SUMMARY: Historically, most LTACs have been free-standing healthcare facilities, but there is an increased trend towards the co-located LTAC ("hospital within a hospital") model.Co-located LTACs represent a solution for the management of patient throughput within a health system, with optimized bed capacity at the host hospital, increased revenue under a prospective payment system, and reduced readmission rates. A co-located LTAC will likely share resources with the host hospital, including ancillary departments such as pharmacy services, through a contractual model. Operationalization of pharmacy services in a co-located LTAC presents unique challenges in the integration of pharmacy services. Pharmacy leaders at Houston Methodist collaborated with executive leadership and other healthcare disciplines to expand services from a free-standing LTAC to a co-located LTAC at the academic medical center location. The contracted pharmacy service operationalization processes in the co-located LTAC comprised licensure and regulations, accreditation, information technology enhancements, a staffing model, operations/distribution services, clinical services, and a defined quality reporting structure. Admissions from the host hospital to the LTAC consisted of patients requiring long-term antibiotic administrations, pre- and post-organ transplant care, complex wound care, oncologic-related treatment, and neurological rehabilitation for strengthening and continued care. CONCLUSION: The framework described here offers guidance to health-system pharmacy departments to support establishment of a co-located LTAC. The case study outlines challenges, considerations, and processes for implementation of a successful contracted pharmacy service model.