Pharmacist-Led Chronic Care Management for Medically Underserved Rural Populations in Florida During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Pharmacist-Led Chronic Care Management for Medically Underserved Rural Populations in Florida During the COVID-19 Pandemic

COMMENTARY — Volume 17 — July 30, 2020

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

Madison Como, PharmD1; Chenita White Carter, PharmD, MS1; Margareth Larose-Pierre, PharmD1; Kellie O’Dare, PhD1; Cynthia R. Hall, PharmD, JD, MS1; Jason Mobley, EdS, MS1; Gervin Robertson, PharmD, MBA, MHA1; Jason Leonard, AA1; Lindsey Tew, AA1 (View author affiliations)

Suggested citation for this article: Como M, Carter CW, Larose-Pierre M, O’Dare K, Hall CR, Mobley J, et al. Pharmacist-Led Chronic Care Management for Medically Underserved Rural Populations in Florida During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Prev Chronic Dis 2020;17:200265. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd17.200265external icon.

PEER REVIEWED

On This Page

• Abstract
• Introduction
• Chronic Disease Care Management
• Educating Patients and the Public
• Student Pharmacist Involvement
• Training and Development of Future Pharmacists
• Implications for Public Health
• Acknowledgments
• Author Information
• References

Summary

What is already known on this topic?

Ambulatory care pharmacists play an important role in chronic care and medication therapy management. These pharmacists and student pharmacists work closely with health care providers to deliver medication-related recommendations.

What is added by this report?

We discuss how 2 pharmacist faculty members from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Institute of Public Health are using telehealth during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to continue to care for patients in an ambulatory care setting as well as student pharmacists’ contributions.

What are the implications for public health practice?

With the implementation of telehealth services, patients can continue receiving care from our ambulatory care pharmacists and student pharmacists to help improve health-related outcomes.

Abstract

Medically underserved patients in rural areas are more vulnerable to poor health outcomes, including the risks associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals are working together to implement new, innovative ways to deliver the same standard of care during the COVID-19 pandemic to these vulnerable patients. These services include telehealth with virtual and telephone medication therapy management sessions led by ambulatory care pharmacists and student pharmacists. Pharmacists, student pharmacists, and other health care professionals should continue to adapt to these new technologies to improve health outcomes for their patients during the pandemic.