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SMJ // Article

Original Article

CME Article: Extensions of Preventive Health in Addition to the Healthcare Provider

Authors: La Vonne A. Downey, PhD, Cara Brock, PharmD

Abstract

Objectives: This study aims to determine whether patients would use pharmacists with their healthcare providers to alert them to the need for adult vaccines and provide preventive and monitoring health services and information.

Methods: A survey was sent to 310 participants to assess the willingness of patients to use pharmacists as adult vaccine and preventive health resources.

Results: Overall, the completed responses (305) to the survey show a willingness to use pharmacists as healthcare professionals for preventive health services. There was a significant difference (P = 0.001) by race regarding whether the respondents would use the pharmacist to receive a vaccine and whether they had received a vaccine from a pharmacist. There also was a significant difference (P = 0.01) by race, regarding using a pharmacist for health screenings and monitoring services.

Conclusions: Most respondents know of and are willing to use some preventive services that a pharmacist can provide. A minority of respondents reported that they were less inclined to use these services. A targeted educational campaign using methods that previous research has shown to be effective could affect the minority. These methods include having a direct conversation with a pharmacist about preventive services and personalized direct mail targeting individuals who would use the range of preventive services that their community pharmacist can provide, such as adult vaccines. Pharmacy-based preventive health services could enable a more equitable delivery of preventive services for a broader range of patients.

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