Community Pharmacists’ Contributions to Disease Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Community Pharmacists’ Contributions to Disease Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COMMENTARY — Volume 17 — July 23, 2020

This article is part of the US Public Health Response to COVID-19 and Chronic Disease special supplement.

Mark A. Strand, PhD, CPH1; Jeffrey Bratberg, PharmD, FAPhA2; Heidi Eukel, PharmD1; Mark Hardy, PharmD3; Christopher Williams, PhD4 (View author affiliations)

Suggested citation for this article: Strand MA, Bratberg J, Eukel H, Hardy M, Williams C. Community Pharmacists’ Contributions to Disease Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prev Chronic Dis 2020;17:200317. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200317external icon.

PEER REVIEWED

On This Page

• Abstract
• Background
• Community Pharmacists in the United States
• Community Pharmacists’ Response During COVID-19 Pandemic
• Implications for Public Health
• Acknowledgments
• Author Information
• References
• Tables

Summary

What is already known on this topic?

More than 90% of people in the United States live within 5 miles of a community pharmacy. Pharmacists deliver important public health services such as vaccinations, point-of-care testing, and chronic and acute disease prevention and management. These services are and will continue to be critical in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

What is added by this report?

The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated needed roles for the community pharmacist in an emergency, including continuity of provision of medications, providing preventive services, and ensuring health equity. Along with medication management, pharmacists provide infectious disease mitigation, point-of-care testing, and vaccinations.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Community pharmacists are essential contributors to public health and play a key role as the United States continues to combat COVID-19, especially among populations with health disparities.

Abstract

Community pharmacists assist patients to manage disease and prevent complications. Despite the enormous challenge the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has dealt to the health care system, community pharmacists have maintained the delivery of critical health services to communities, including those most at risk for COVID-19. Community pharmacists are in a key position to deliver priority pandemic responses including point-of-care testing for chronic disease management, vaccinations, and COVID-19 testing.