Enhancing a Sustainable Pharmacy-based Immunization Program in Two States

Auburn University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Pneumococcal Infections; Herpes Zoster

Treatments: Behavioral: Enhanced immunization delivery model; Other: Immunization update

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; Industry

Identifiers

NCT02615470

MISP53380

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study's aim is to enhance current immunization activities in community pharmacies through targeting the two most commonly available non-seasonal vaccines in community pharmacies, namely pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccination services. The study will compare the change in the number of pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccinations administered in pharmacy from the corresponding 6-month period prior to the intervention to the 6-month intervention period between intervention pharmacies and the control pharmacies.

Full description

Community pharmacies are in a unique position and have potential to help increase immunization rates, especially among those who do not visit their primary care provider regularly. This study seeks to increase the level of pharmacy-based immunization delivery.

The study intervention is designed to increase the current level of pharmacy-based immunization delivery and foster practice change to sustain the intervention effect. Our intervention combines evidence-based strategies for improving immunization coverage and strategies to overcome system barriers to increase sustainability of the intervention over time. The study will focus on pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccination services.

Specific aims include:

1. To compare the change in the number of pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccinations administered in pharmacy from the corresponding 6-month period prior to the intervention to the 6-month intervention period between intervention pharmacies and the control pharmacies. The pre-intervention period will correspond to the intervention period.
2. To compare the extent of immunization activity implementation during the intervention period between intervention pharmacies and control pharmacies.
3. To compare the level of sustainability of immunization services over the period of 6 months after the intervention period ends between the intervention group and the control group.
4. To explore facilitators and barriers to implementing immunization services.
5. To explore factors affecting patient acceptance of pharmacist's vaccine recommendations within the intervention pharmacies.

Enrollment: 120 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Alabama and California community pharmacies
• Must provide in-store prescription-dispensing service
• Must provide pneumococcal vaccine and/or herpes zoster

Exclusion criteria

• Must have no plan to close or change the ownership in the next 12 months

Trial design

Primary purpose: Health Services Research

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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120 participants in 2 patient groups

Enhanced immunization delivery model

Experimental group

Description:

Pharmacist-technician pairs employed by community pharmacies that are assigned to this arm will receive a) immunization update training, b) training by immunization experts to enhance immunization delivery model and foster practice change at the beginning of 6-month and c) regular feedback and clinical support for the period of 6 months.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Enhanced immunization delivery model

Other: Immunization update

Immunization update

Active Comparator group

Description:

Pharmacist-technician pairs employed by community pharmacies that are assigned to the control arm will receive an immunization update training. They will not receive a training by immunization experts nor regular feedback and clinical support.

Treatment:

Other: Immunization update