Go to the profile of Partnership for Diabetes Health Equity
Partnership for Diabetes Health Equity
Together we can achieve health equity!

Pharmacists as a Part of the Diabetes Care Team at a Community Health Center

Erin J. Searles, PharmD

The Family Health Centers of Georgia

“Community health centers (CHCs) are private, nonprofit organizations that directly or indirectly (through contracts and cooperative agreements) provide primary health services and related services to residents of a defined geographic area that is medically underserved.” Many community health centers have a collaborative health care team from primary care physicians to dentists to pharmacists, etc. Pharmacists can play a critical role in the overall well being of the patients. Pharmacists are uniquely qualified to serve as drug experts and patient advocates.

Pharmacists in CHC’s serve as part of the health care team on all disease states, but in the case of patients with diabetes they can offer many benefits. Providers can use pharmacists as a clinical resource for drug therapy. Pharmacists can offer advice on new therapy. Pharmacists can also help providers adjust patient’s medications based on adverse effects and drug interactions. Pharmacist can help identify gaps in therapy and help patients determine if they are experiencing side effects to medications. They also can advocate for patient adherence. Pharmacists can act as a resource to maintain concurrent therapies that diabetic patients need to meet their therapeutic goals. They can assist providers and patients with cholesterol, high blood pressure, and kidney protective therapies.

Cost and access to care can act as a therapeutic barrier for many patients that use community health centers. The pharmacists inside of the Community Health center can offer solutions to both issues. Community Health Centers by definition are conveniently located inside of the underserved community, therefore allowing patients access to quality diabetic care. Many CHC’s throughout the United States qualify for the 340b pricing program. The 340b pricing program requires drug manufacturers to provide outpatient drugs to eligible health care organizations/covered entities at significantly reduced prices. Many drugs for diabetes are available in generic form and can give patients inexpensive options for therapy. One great example is the drug Metformin that is offered by many retail pharmacies as either free or $4. However, many newer therapies and insulins are only available in the brand name form and are very expensive. These therapies may be essential for proper diabetes management. Community Health Centers that are eligible for 340b pricing can offer these cutting edge therapies at pennies on the dollar compared to other pharmacy. This allows patients in an underserved community to receive the best standard of care and closes the gap on health disparities often suffered by this community.

Community Health Centers can also offer many other optional services to their patients, including Medication Therapy Management (MTM), cholesterol, weight management, and smoking cessation services. Medicare patients can be enrolled in pharmacist-led Diabetes Management programs. These programs can assist with patient drug therapy as well as educating patients about diet and exercise.

Utilizing the expertise of Pharmacists as part of a patients diabetes care team can greatly impact the patient’s well being. Pharmacists can help provide excellent patient care not only through dispensing drugs but by identifying side effects and adverse reactions, monitoring patient adherence to prescribed medication protocol, assisting providers in selecting appropriate drug regimen, and assisting patients in gaining access to and to afford some of the best, most effective medications.

References:

  • Who’s on you Diabetes Care team,”www. diabetes.org. America Diabetes Association, 3 Aug. 2013. Web. 13 June 2016.
  • 340 b Pricing Program” hrsa.gov/opa. Health Resources and Services Administration, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Web. 13 June 2016.
  • What is a Community Health Center?” www.jhsph.edu/research/centers-and-institutes/johns-hopkins-primary-care-policy-center/definitions.html. The Johns Hopkins Primary Care Policy Center, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 2016. Web. 13 June 2016.