Development and Implementation of an Influenza Point-Of-Care Testing Service in a Chain Community Pharmacy Setting.

Rachel Hardin,Angela Tracy,Clark D Kebodeaux,Michael Raque,Pheli Roberts,Lauren Baldwin,Brooke Hudspeth

doi:10.3390/pharmacy8040182

Rachel Hardin, Angela Tracy + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmacy8040182

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Abstract

Point-of-care testing is becoming increasingly commonplace in community pharmacy settings. These tests are often used in the management of chronic disease, such as blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c and lipid levels, but can also be used for acute conditions such as influenza infection and group A streptococcus pharyngitis. When used for these acute infections, point-of-care tests can allow for pharmacist-initiated treatment. In this study, an influenza point-of-care testing service was developed and implemented in a chain community pharmacy setting and a retrospective review was conducted to assess the service. Of patients tested, 29% tested positive for influenza A and/or B; 92% of patients testing positive received a prescription as a result. While health insurance cannot be billed for the service due to current pharmacy reimbursement practices, this did not appear to negatively affect patient willingness to participate. As point-of-care testing services become more commonplace in community pharmacy settings, patient awareness will similarly increase and allow for more widespread access to acute outpatient care.

Highlights

There are an increasing number of opportunities for pharmacists to provide direct patient care services as the profession of pharmacy evolves
An influenza POC testing service was developed for a large community pharmacy chain
While POC testing services are not yet ubiquitous in pharmacies, the potential impact that they could have on patient accessibility and public health if they were to become a routine part of practice cannot be ignored

Summary

Introduction

There are an increasing number of opportunities for pharmacists to provide direct patient care services as the profession of pharmacy evolves. A significant source of these opportunities is the use of point-of-care (POC) tests. POC tests are performed outside of a laboratory and are waived under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) [1]. The tests produce rapid and reliable results that can be administered in a variety of health care settings to allow for screening or monitoring of disease. Some CLIA-waived tests are already commonly used in community pharmacies. Pharmacists provide screening for blood glucose and glycated hemoglobin, lipid panels, and even international normalized ratio (INR) in some settings. POC tests can be used to test for infectious diseases such as influenza, HIV, adenovirus, and hepatitis C [2]

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