Re-implementation of a pharmacist-managed metabolic syndrome clinic in an outpatient mental health clinic setting

Abstract

Introduction: Second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) are often prescribed prior to first-generation antipsychotics (FGA) for mental health disorders by reason of proposed improved tolerability. Patients on SGA are not always appropriately screened for metabolic parameters in the clinical setting. A metabolic clinic was previously established for a limited time period at the West Palm Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center (WPB VAMC) with beneficial outcomes. Re-implementation expanded the clinic to assess the impact when patients were referred from outpatient mental health and primary care providers. The objectives of this quality improvement initiative were to evaluate pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions and compare the patient load preexpansion and postexpansion of the metabolic clinic. Methods: Patients receiving SGA at the WPB VAMC who met the criteria for metabolic syndrome were referred to the metabolic clinic. Preclinic data variables collected include demographics, social history, SGA,...