Translating Diabetes Interventions into Sustainable Programs in Community Pharmacy

Patient interventions are a key part of community pharmacy practice, from ensuring adherence to crucial medications to counseling patients on chronic disease management. Diabetes is one of these chronic diseases, with multiple studies demonstrating that that pharmacist-led interventions can improve outcomes in type 2 diabetes and HbA1c levels.^1,2

“We’ve been doing diabetes interventions in pharmacy for a long time—and we’re really good at it,” said Jon Easter. “We achieve better outcomes: We see lower costs and we see better clinical outcomes.

Easter is a professor of practice and the vice chair, practice advancement, at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. He spoke with Drug Topics during the 2024 National Association of Chain Drug Stores Total Store Expo, held August 17 to August 19, 2024, in Boston, Massachusetts. On Monday, August 19, Easter will present a session with Jasmine Perry, PharmD, CPHQ, Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Professional Engagement and Quality at Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina, focused on the ways in which diabetes care research can be leveraged to drive impact in the health care space.

READ MORE: Impact of Nutrition, Social Support, and More in Managing T2D

Now, those interventions need to be translated into sustainable programs. “How do we integrate that into workflow?” Easter said. “How do we create online training? How do we help pharmacists pivot to these new types of models in a sustainable way?” Answering these questions leads to predictable outcomes, allowing programs to scale up, provide reimbursement, and implement partnerships.

“It starts with readiness,” Easter noted. Pharmacists are well-trained in dispensing; they’re also very busy. “Being able to support them through a transition, and integrate these new services into workflow, providing resources and personnel to be able to help them pivot towards more and different and more diverse services, is very important.”

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References

1. Al Assaf S, Zelkoo R, Hanko B. The effect of interventions led by community pharmacists in primary care for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus on therapeutic adherence and HbA1c levels: A systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(10):618. doi:10.3390/ijerph19106188

2. Humphries C. Community-based pharmacists and diabetes: A new approach to screening and patient education. UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy. April 11, 2022. Accessed August 18, 2024. https://cmopp.web.unc.edu/2022/04/community-based-pharmacists-and-diabetes-a-new-approach-to-screening-and-patient-education/