Psychiatric Pharmacists: Improving Access, Outcomes and Cost

Psychiatric pharmacists are improving access, outcomes and cost! Psychiatric pharmacists are advanced practice clinical pharmacists who specialize in mental health care. With an extensive knowledge of medication management, they are skilled at treating the whole patient. They strengthen the mental health team by working directly with patients, improving outcomes and saving lives.

This infographic provides a quick introduction to the unique value that psychiatric pharmacists add to the health care team.

Statistics Mentioned in the Infographic

1. 43% shortage of adult psychiatrists by 2037 (HRSA, 2024)
   

   Health Resources and Services Administration/National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. State of the Behavioral Health Workforce, 2024. Rockville, Maryland. Nov 2024. https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/state-of-the-behavioral-health-workforce-report-2024.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2025.

2. 59 million adults experience mental illness in a given year (NIMH, 2018)
   

   Health Resources and Services Administration/National Center for Health Workforce Analysis. State of the Behavioral Health Workforce, 2024. Rockville, Maryland. Nov 2024. https://bhw.hrsa.gov/sites/default/files/bureau-health-workforce/state-of-the-behavioral-health-workforce-report-2024.pdf. Accessed April 15, 2025.

3. $329 billion are spent on mental health annually (SAMHSA, 2014).
   

   Open Minds. U.S. Behavioral Health Spending: A 2023 OPEN MINDS Market Intelligence Report. 2023. https://openminds.com/intelligence-report/u-s-behavioral-health-spending-a-2023-open-minds-market-intelligence-report/. Accessed April 15, 2025.

4. 75% of physicians find their jobs to be easier when the primary care team includes a clinical pharmacist. (JAPhA, 2017)
   

   Moreno G, Lonowski S, Fu J, Chon JS, Whitmire N, Vasquez C, et al. Physician experiences with clinical pharmacists in primary care teams. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2017;57(6):686- 691. DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2017.06.018. PubMed PMID: 28811089.

5. 12 to 1: $12 cost reduction for every $1 invested in pharmacist-provided medication management services. (USPHS, 2011)
   

   Giberson S, Yoder S, Lee MP. Improving Patient and Health System Outcomes through Advanced Pharmacy Practice. A Report to the U.S. Surgeon General. Office of the Chief Pharmacist. U.S. Public Health Service. Dec 2011. https://www.accp.com/docs/positions/misc/improving_patient_and_health_system_outcomes.pdf. Accessed March 19, 2019.

6. 38% improvement in patient depression response rates when working with a psychiatric pharmacist. (JPP, 2016)
   

   Silvia RJ. Collaborative Treatment of Depression by a Psychiatric Pharmacist Integrated within a Community Health Center Primary Care Clinic. In: College of Psychiatric and Neurologic Pharmacists 2016 Poster Abstracts. J Pharm Pract. 2016;29(3):270- 341. DOI: 10.1177/0897190016645328.

7. Types of Medication-Related Problems Resolved by Pharmacists (Medication Management Systems, 2010)

   Other data (Medication Management Systems, unpublished data, 2010).