The pharmacist in the HMO environment.

Community pharmacists can provide pharmaceutical services to the health maintenance organization (HMO) patient on a cost-effective, competitive basis. Reimbursement based on usual and customary fees has proven to be an attractive method of payment not only to the participating pharmacists, but to the HMO administration as well. State pharmaceutical associations can play an integral role in developing, administering, and monitoring the pharmaceutical component of an HMO. A sharing of the financial risk encourages pharmacists to act as prudent purchasers of the drug product to be dispensed to HMO patients.