A primary care psychiatric pharmacist clinic for addressing hypertension and mental health disparities in black patients

A psychiatric pharmacist can play a critical role in addressing health disparities in black patients by managing both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric conditions. Black patients experience disparities in the treatment of both hypertension and mental health disorders, highlighting the need for innovati...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Stephanie L. Hsia, PharmD, BCPP, MAEd, Shirley Wong, PharmD, APh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists 2025-08-01
Series:Mental Health Clinician
Subjects:
Online Access:https://theijpt.org/doi/pdf/10.9740/mhc.2025.08.222
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:A psychiatric pharmacist can play a critical role in addressing health disparities in black patients by managing both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric conditions. Black patients experience disparities in the treatment of both hypertension and mental health disorders, highlighting the need for innovative care models. This paper describes the integration of a psychiatric pharmacist into a primary care clinic to provide comprehensive medication management for hypertension, psychiatric disorders, and tobacco use disorder in black patients. The integration of this model faced challenges, including limited pharmacist funding and provider unfamiliarity with the psychiatric pharmacist’s role. We describe how these barriers can be mitigated through relationship-building and demonstrating the pharmacist’s value in patient care. This model highlights the potential for psychiatric pharmacists to provide whole-person care, addressing both psychiatric and nonpsychiatric conditions and working to reduce health disparities. The implementation of psychiatric pharmacists in primary care settings may serve as a strategy to improve equitable health care access and outcomes for black patients.
ISSN:2168-9709