The pharmacist and pharmacy have evolved to become more than the corner drugstore: a win for vaccinations and public health

ABSTRACT

Perhaps under acknowledged in the adult immunization delivery system are pharmacists. Depending on the state, pharmacists can assess and administer vaccines to patients under vaccination protocols, standing orders or with a physician’s prescription for vaccination. As most individuals live within miles of a community pharmacy that offer accessibility, broad operating hours, and lack of visit fees or few requirements for appointments, the role of the local community pharmacy and pharmacists has evolved. Many pharmacies have embraced immunizations as a service offering seasonal influenza and often a range of Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices-recommended vaccines across the lifespan. Pharmacists are moving away from strictly product distribution to supporting public health and prevention, experiencing tremendous growth and expansion of services across the public health and primary care spectrum. Pharmacies are using vaccination services as a strategy to transform and advance community pharmacy, shaping a model that provides greater convenience and access to vaccines and other preventive services benefiting population and public health while seeking to optimize health outcomes and control health-care costs.

KEYWORDS:

• Pharmacist
• pharmacy
• vaccine
• vaccination
• prevention
• health care delivery
• containing costs

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

Dr. Shen is a retired Captain with the US Public Health Service. She is currently a Professor at the Drexel University Dornsife School of Public Health and a public health consultant. The authors have no conflicts of interest or disclosures to declare.