Engaging patients and stakeholders to identify a research agenda to support social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and intervention initiatives in community pharmacy

Abstract

Community pharmacists can play a vital role in supporting the nation’s effort to address patients’ social needs at a scalable, system-wide level. However, evidence is scarce related to the acceptability, and effectiveness of existing programs that administer social determinants of health (SDOH) screening and referral interventions. The Pharmacy Quality Alliance and National Patient Advocate Foundation convened a multistakeholder panel consisting of patient and pharmacy stakeholders in 2022 to develop a patient-centered outcomes research (PCOR) agenda for community pharmacies. Guided by the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute’s Engagement Rubric, the series of three workshops sought to amplify the patient voice throughout the process. Identified priorities include research to support the development of infrastructure required to incorporate SDOH screening and intervention programs into existing workflows; defining the feasibility of screening and interventions in the community pharmacy setting; and understanding patient perception and preferences on communication strategies, educational outreach efforts, and appropriate handling of sensitive information related to social needs. Pharmacy stakeholders emphasized the importance of generating evidence to demonstrate the effectiveness of programs to support the development of reimbursement strategies aimed at the long-term sustainability of effective programs. Developing patient and community collaborations and integrating efforts with other healthcare professionals is going to be vital to minimize care fragmentation and maximize the healthcare system’s overall ability to address patients’ social needs. Future research efforts should examine the impact of multisectoral collaboration to address patients’ social needs, patient experience with the interventions, and the effectiveness of the interventions themselves.