Course Description
Patients with severe mental illness usually require long-term treatment with psychotropic medications. Medication non-adherence is problematic in this patient population, which can result in symptom relapse and hospitalization. Long-acting injections (LAIs), whether antipsychotics or novel treatments for alcohol and opioid use disorders, provide a unique approach to treatment of these conditions. LAIs have been shown to improve adherence to treatment, leading to better outcomes. While LAIs are one example, there are other psychotropic medications that can be administered and/or monitored by pharmacists, such as esketamine and buprenorphine. Administering medications routinely in clinics, particularly primary care clinics can be challenging. Challenges include provider education, logistical aspects to care, and concerns about adverse effects and monitoring. This presentation will discuss how pharmacists are in a key position to help overcome these barriers by providing education, implementing logistical policies and billing procedures, and administering and monitoring psychotropic medications.
Learning Objectives
- Outline psychiatric medications which can be managed or administered by a pharmacist.
- Create a safety and efficacy monitoring plan for psychiatric medications administered or managed by a pharmacist in an outpatient setting.
- Assess the role of the pharmacist in psychiatric medication administration or management in the outpatient setting.
Target Audience
If you are a pharmacist, nurse practitioner, or other health care professional involved in the comprehensive medication management of individuals living with mental health and/or substance use disorders, we invite you to participate in this online course.
BCPPs desiring an evidence-based focus on an emerging area of practice and contemporary issues in psychiatric pharmacy at the specialist level are the intended audience of this recertification activity. This activity is designed for BCPPs who learn best from didactic presentations, are auditory and visual learners, and/or who learn best from hands-on-learning and dialoguing with specialist faculty and colleagues.
Faculty
View biographical information
Alberto Augsten, PharmD, MS, BCPP, DABAT
Pharmacy Clinical Manager of Long-Acting Therapy Clinic (LAT), PGY2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency Director, Board Certified Clinical Toxicologist
Miami, FL
Dr. Alberto Augsten, PharmD, BCPP, DABAT is the Pharmacy Clinical Manager for Behavioral Health and Emergency Department. He is also the founder and director of the Long-Acting Therapy (LAT) Clinic at Memorial Regional Hospital, and the Co-Creator of the Mothers in Recovery (MIR) and Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Programs at Memorial Healthcare System. In 2019, he launched the first Spravato clinic in South Florida for treatment-resistant depression. Dr. Augsten is passionate about innovation in healthcare and optimizing patient care with collaborative approaches to treatment—as evidenced by his multiple clinics and specialized programs.
In addition to his various administrative and clinical duties, he is a mentor and advocate for his profession. In July 2016, he started a PGY-2 Psychiatric Pharmacy Residency at Memorial Regional Hospital Department of Behavioral Health. He is also an adjunct faculty member for Nova Southeastern University teaching pharmacology to Speech Language Pathology Doctoral students since 2010.
In December of 2017, he earned his Master’s in Pharmaceutical Sciences, concentration Clinical Toxicology with a Certificate in Forensic Drug Chemistry from the University of Florida. He is a board-certified clinical toxicologist earning his Diplomate of the American Board of Applied Toxicology (DABAT) in September of 2016. Dr. Augsten has built on his DABAT by serving as a forensic toxicology expert witness on several legal cases. He also provides consultation and education services for different pharmaceutical companies and serving on numerous Advisory Boards and Speaker Bureau’s. Finally, he serves as an Expert Panel Member at the Florida Medicaid Drug Therapy Management Program for Behavioral Health—providing his expertise on Best Practice Psychotherapeutic Medication Guidelines for Adults.
Dr. Augsten lives in South Florida with his family and three children. The best part of his day is always the moments he gets to share with his family.
Course Requirements
To receive ACPE credit for this session, you must:
- Register for this course.
- Review the full content of the activity and reflect upon its teachings.
- Complete the evaluation at the end of the activity.
- Provide the necessary details in your profile to ensure correct reporting by AAPP to CPE Monitor.
Continuing Education Credit and Disclosures
Activity Date: 10/13/2023
ACPE Contact Hours: 1.25
ACPE Number: 0284-0000-23-013-H04-P (Application)
Nursing Credit Reminder: Note that ACPE credit is accepted for ANCC Certification Renewal and AANPCB advanced practice provider content. For specific questions related to your organization's acceptance of ACPE continuing education units, please contact your organization directly.
The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education as a provider of continuing pharmacy education.
AAPP owns the copyright, is licensed or has received permissions for use of, or is otherwise permitted to use copyrighted materials within any CPE activity. Authors and speakers are required to obtain necessary copyright permissions for content in CPE activities. AAPP complies with copyright laws and regulations.
View disclaimer and disclosure of off-label use
Off-Label Use: This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the FDA (see faculty information). The opinions expressed in the educational activity do not necessarily represent the views of AAPP and any educational partners. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
Disclaimer: Participants have an implied responsibility to use the newly acquired information to enhance patient outcomes and their own professional development. Any procedures, medications, or other courses of diagnosis or treatment discussed or suggested in this activity should not be used by clinicians without evaluation of their patient’s conditions and possible contraindications on dangers in use, review of any applicable manufacturer’s product information, and comparison with recommendations of other authorities. Please refer to the official prescribing information for each product for discussion of approved indications, contraindications, and warnings.
View fair balance and integrity statement
It is the policy of AAPP to ensure independence, balance, objectivity, scientific rigor, and integrity in continuing education activities. Those involved in the development of this continuing education activity have made all reasonable efforts to ensure that information contained herein is accurate in accordance with the latest available scientific knowledge at the time of accreditation of this continuing education activity. Information regarding drugs (e.g., their administration, dosages, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, special warnings, and precautions) and drug delivery systems is subject to change, however, and the reader is advised to check the manufacturer’s package insert for information concerning recommended dosage and potential problems or cautions prior to dispensing or administering the drug or using the drug delivery systems.
Fair balance is achieved through ongoing and thorough review of all materials produced by faculty, and all educational and advertising materials produced by supporting organizations, prior to educational offerings. Approval of credit for this continuing education activity does not imply endorsement by AAPP for any product or manufacturer identified.