Physician-pharmacist collaborative care (PPCC) is effective in improving blood pressure (BP) control, but primary care provider (PCP) engagement in such models has not been well-studied. We analyzed data from PPCC referrals to 108 PCPs, for patients with uncontrolled hypertension, assessing proportion of referral requests approved, disapproved, and not responded to, and reasons for disapproval. Of 2,232 persons with uncontrolled hypertension, PPCC referral requests were sent for 1,516 (67.9%): 950 (62.7%) were approved, 406 (26.8%) were disapproved, and 160 (10.6%) received no response. Approval rates differed widely by PCP with a median approval rate of 74% (IQR, 41% to 100%). The most common reasons for disapproval were: PCP prefers to manage hypertension (19%), and BP controlled per PCP (18%); 8% of patients were considered too complex for PPCC. Provider acceptance of a PPCC hypertension clinic was generally high and sustained, but varied widely among PCPs. No single reason for disapproval predominated.

No abstract