How a Walgreens ambulatory care pharmacist is helping patients in Phoenix
Walgreens ambulatory care pharmacist Mohanad Znbaqa and Village Medical primary care providers have collaborated to create a unique healthcare solution for patients in Phoenix, according to a story by Elyse Russo that was posted on Walgreens website.
Russo shared that when a young Village Medical patient was experiencing very high blood sugar levels and needed help, Walgreens ambulatory care pharmacist Mohanad "Mo" Znbaqa responded with support and education about medication and lifestyle changes to optimize blood sugar control. As a result, the patient’s blood sugar returned to normal levels in three months’ time.
“Having an ambulatory care pharmacist here in the practice weekly has been extremely helpful to me, as a provider, and more importantly to the patients we care for as a team,” said Shana Bean, a Village Medical nurse practitioner, told Russo. “He is allowed that additional time that us providers may not have with patients to elaborate and continue crucial conversations with patients to help improve their health and overall quality of life.”
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Russo explained in her article that an ambulatory care pharmacist is a type of clinical pharmacist that completes a post-graduate pharmacy residency after pharmacy school, which provides the experience and training of managing patients in collaboration with primary care providers. In this role, Znbaqa has been a key player in a unique pilot program developed by Walgreens and Village Medical in response to the local healthcare needs of the Phoenix metro area.
“In this pilot program, Znbaqa signed collaborative practice agreements with approximately 20 Village Medical primary care providers. These agreements give him the ability to prescribe under the providers’ oversight and management. When Znbaqa receives a patient referral from one of these providers, he can adjust the patient’s medication regimen and initiate new medications when appropriate. He specifically works with patients who have chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, heart disease and pulmonary disease,” Russo explained.
“I can meet with patients more frequently than primary care providers, allowing me more time to educate patients about chronic conditions, improve their medication management and support them with lifestyle changes,” Znbaqa said.
Znbaqa stressed how team-based care can improve outcomes for the patients. He also said that his goal is to help patients avoid preventable hospitalizations so they can spend more time at home leading healthy lives.
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During his residency, Znbaqa cared for patients struggling with chronic illness in both family medicine clinics and local hospital wards, which he says sparked his passion to play a critical role in chronic disease management and preventive care.
“I saw a lot of patients in the hospital who could have been prevented from going to the hospital,” Znbaqa said. “So that became my motivation. To impact people’s lives in this way, I see it as such a blessing.”