Improving Medication Access In Primary Care With Pharmacy Technician Support

Background and goal: This study examined whether adding drugstore technicians to superior attraction teams relieved clinicians and nurses of medication-access tasks and improved perceptions of burden, value of attraction and diligent access.

Study approach: Researchers conducted a retrospective, mixed-methods study 1 twelvemonth aft deploying 5 superior attraction drugstore technicians crossed 11 clinics successful a ample municipality safety-net network. They analyzed physics wellness records (EHR) from June 2023 to May 2024 to way nan number and type of medicine tasks nan technicians handled. Clinic unit were surveyed. The study included a 0 to 10 "pain point" standing of medicine entree activity earlier and aft technician deployment; estimated hours saved per month; perceived effect connected activity experience, value of attraction and diligent access, and open-ended responses.

Main results:

• In 12 months, 5 drugstore technicians handled 43,782 medicine items (65% refills, 18% medicine problems, 17% anterior authorizations).

• Average ratings of "medication entree activity arsenic a symptom point" (0 to 10 scale) decreased from 8.3 earlier to 3.6 aft drugstore technician deployment.

• Themes from open-ended questions described drugstore technicians dealing pinch anterior authorizations, communicating pinch pharmacies, timely medicine entree for patients, expertise of drugstore technicians, and reduced task burden/ greater efficiency.

Why it matters: The findings from this study propose drugstore technicians tin beryllium an plus for team- based superior care, bringing expertise successful efficiently managing medicine entree processes that benefits clinician and caregiver activity acquisition and diligent entree to medications.