Pharmacist Advocacy Groups Call for New Action to Enhance COVID-19 Patient Care
Pharmacy organizations representing the interests of all pharmacists in the United States have released a joint set of policy recommendations critical to addressing the COVID-19 pandemic.
The COVID-19 pandemic continues to put an enormous strain on our nation’s healthcare system, and the supply of qualified healthcare providers is becoming increasingly limited. Pharmacists are currently among those healthcare professionals on the front line, capable of contributing more of the essential patient services they currently provide in every community of America.
Pharmacists are among the nation’s most accessible healthcare professionals, with 90% of Americans living within 5 miles of a community pharmacy. They are medication experts, providing patient care in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, community pharmacies, long-term care, the medical home, and physician offices.
The four policy recommendations that follow enable pharmacists to fully and effectively support our nation’s COVID-19 response and help to ensure patients get the treatment they need and deserve.
In short, the joint statement recommends:
- Authorize Test-Treat-Immunize: Allow pharmacists to order, collect specimens, conduct and interpret tests and, when appropriate, initiate treatment for infectious diseases including COVID-19, flu, strep, and interpret and discuss with patients. Expand current state pharmacists immunization authority to include all FDA approved vaccines, including the forthcoming novel vaccine for COVID-19, for all indicated populations.
- Ease Operational Barriers to Address Workforce and Workflow Issues: Allow pharmacists and pharmacy technicians with valid licenses to operate across state lines, including telehealth. Authorize pharmacists and pharmacy staff to conduct routine pharmacy tasks remotely as necessary (i.e., prescription data entry and script verification), including those licensed outside the state.
- Address Shortages and Continuity of Care: In addition to existing authority, authorize pharmacists providing direct patient care to individual patients to conduct therapeutic interchange and substitution with appropriate physician notification when product shortages arise. The FDA should identify drugs that are in, or at risk, of shortage and work with firms to extend expiration dates. Require manufacturers to provide the FDA with more information on the causes of shortages and their expected durations and allow public reporting of this information.
- Reimburse for Services and Remove Barriers: Provide direct reimbursement for services delivered by pharmacists if within scope of practice and covered for other healthcare providers. Remove the specific day’s supply requirement from co-pay waivers for essential, life-sustaining medications to ensure continuous access when medication is in shortage or needs to be rationed. Remove restrictions and cover home or mail delivery. Assure access to testing, treatment, and pharmacists services for patients without adequate access to services.
- Immediately include the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act in emergency legislation to respond to the COVID-19 crisis.
Updated April 3, 2020
For NASPA’s compilation of state actions related to the pandemic, click here.