Pharmacist Involvement in Addressing Public Health Priorities and Community Needs: The Allegheny County Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) Project.

Community-clinical linkages are connections between community and clinical sectors to improve population health, and community-based pharmacists are well positioned to implement this strategy. We implemented a novel approach to community-clinical linkages in African American communities in which community-based pharmacists implement screenings for chronic disease and social determinants of health, make referrals to clinical and social services, and follow up with patients to support linkage to care in nontraditional health care settings. The community-based pharmacist navigation program works with multisector partners to increase referrals and access to existing health and social service programs. We used a mixed-methods evaluation approach to collect and analyze data on program characteristics and the linkage intervention. From February 2019 to March 2020, 702 African American community members received preventive health screenings, and 508 (72%) were referred to clinical and social services. Pharmacists demonstrated the ability to implement clinical preventive services in nontraditional health care settings and improve access to care through the provision of community-clinical linkages.

Implementation strategies from deployment of the National Diabetes Prevention Program in Pennsylvania community pharmacies.

OBJECTIVE: To identify implementation strategies used by community pharmacists when initiating the National Diabetes Prevention Program (NDPP). DESIGN: This study was a qualitative, mid-implementation study using a semi-structured interview guide. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Community pharmacies in Pennsylvania that received grant funding from the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association to begin the NDPP. OUTCOME MEASURES: A final list of implementation strategies from the Expert Recommendations for Implementing Change and corresponding action items for pharmacists to begin the NDPP in their community pharmacies. RESULTS: Twenty strategies were used by community pharmacists when implementing the NDPP. These strategies were grouped into 3 implementation phases: (1) designing the program; (2) enrolling patients; and (3) keeping patients engaged. Strategies were further organized into 8 clusters based on strategy characteristics. Pharmacists commonly noted that making classes dynamic, keeping patients engaged through interactive activities, and encouraging patients to join classes with a companion were important when implementing the NDPP. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists used an array of strategies to implement the NDPP. This comprehensive list of strategies and accompanying action items can be used by community pharmacists nationwide to facilitate the implementation of the NDPP.

Implementation of comprehensive medication management at supermarket pharmacies in a pharmacy network.

OBJECTIVE: To garner experience with the early implementation of pharmacist-provided comprehensive medication management at a regional supermarket pharmacy during the initial launch of a statewide community pharmacy enhanced services network payer contract. METHODS: A series of key informant interviews were conducted with pharmacists at Giant Eagle Pharmacy locations in Pennsylvania. To be eligible to participate, pharmacists must have been trained by the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Care Network to deliver contracted comprehensive medication management services and willing to participate in audio recorded, telephonic interviews every 2 weeks. Interviews concluded when each pharmacist completed a total of 6 interviews or when the project period ended. A semistructured interview guide was developed by the investigators to elicit the pharmacists' experience providing contracted services. Interviews were transcribed and coded by 2 independent investigators. Coding discrepancies were resolved. The final coded transcripts were presented back to the project team to identify and finalize major themes. Illustrative quotes were selected to represent each theme. RESULTS: Interviews from 10 pharmacists were included in the analysis. Five themes emerged as keys of successful early implementation: (1) promote commitment of the pharmacy team, (2) use effective whole-team patient engagement strategies, (3) personalize patient encounters by providing patient-centered care and practicing interpersonal skills, (4) make workflow and staffing resources easily accessible, and (5) make clinical patient care tools readily available. CONCLUSION: These results highlight thematic trends for how pharmacists can successfully engage their patients in contracted comprehensive medication management services. Understanding the success of early implementation at a regional supermarket pharmacy can serve as a framework for other participants in community pharmacy enhanced services networks to replicate and scale contracted patient care services.