Administration, Billing, and Payment for Pharmacy Student-Based Immunizations to Medicare Beneficiaries at Mobile Medicare Clinics

Abstract

Training student pharmacists to administer vaccinations requires a substantial investment in vaccines, supplies, and time. Few schools of pharmacy seek out or receive any reimbursement for the provision of vaccines, despite the fact it is a covered service. This study sought to implement, deliver, and demonstrate an innovative, financially sustainable curriculum-based immunization program by trained pharmacy students as part of their experiential learning. Thirty-nine community health clinics targeting Medicare beneficiaries were conducted throughout Northern/Central California during Medicare’s fall open enrollment periods between 2014–2016. American Pharmacists Association (APhA)-trained student pharmacists (under licensed pharmacist supervision) administered 1777 vaccinations. Vaccines were billed via a secure Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)-compliant web-based portal. The total net income was $11,905 and $8032 for 2015 and 2016, respectively. Return on investment was greatest for the influenza vaccine > Tdap > pneumococcal. Pharmacy students are already being trained to provide immunizations and can utilize their skills to deliver financially viable public health programs.

Student pharmacists’ role in enhancing ambulatory care pharmacy practice

“…Student pharmacists' role in enhancing ambulatory care pharmacy practice Several studies have demonstrated the positive contribution of student pharmacists collecting medication histories, completing medication reconciliation, conducting patient interviews, performing point-of-care testing, and providing immunizations. [17][18][19][20][21][22][23] In an interprofessional setting, the use of fourth-year student pharmacists to obtain medication histories has been employed in a variety of clinics (e.g., internal medicine, cardiology, and pediatrics). 17 In this model, students spent an average of 10 minutes (range 2-30 minutes) collecting medication histories before reporting their findings back to the attending physician.…”

“…20 Provision of immunizations is another task that student pharmacists can assist with, as many would have been trained at their institution. [21][22][23] Training can be costly, due to the supplies needed to ensure hands-on experience; however, Woelfel and colleagues compensated for this cost by utilizing immunization-trained student pharmacists to provide vaccinations to Medicare beneficiaries in mobile clinics. 21 Between 2015 and 2016, the net income generated by student pharmacists administering 1,777 vaccinations was USD 19,937, with the greatest return on investment from the influenza vaccine, followed by Tdap and pneumococcal vaccine.…”

“…[21][22][23] Training can be costly, due to the supplies needed to ensure hands-on experience; however, Woelfel and colleagues compensated for this cost by utilizing immunization-trained student pharmacists to provide vaccinations to Medicare beneficiaries in mobile clinics. 21 Between 2015 and 2016, the net income generated by student pharmacists administering 1,777 vaccinations was USD 19,937, with the greatest return on investment from the influenza vaccine, followed by Tdap and pneumococcal vaccine. 21 This program enabled students to practice their skills and gain experience with immunization coverage and billing while generating revenue for the school.…”

“… 21 Between 2015 and 2016, the net income generated by student pharmacists administering 1,777 vaccinations was USD 19,937, with the greatest return on investment from the influenza vaccine, followed by Tdap and pneumococcal vaccine. 21 This program enabled students to practice their skills and gain experience with immunization coverage and billing while generating revenue for the school. 21 Regarding humanistic outcomes, Hannings et al showed that 98% of the individuals who received a vaccine through a student-led immunization clinic were satisfied.…”

“… 21 This program enabled students to practice their skills and gain experience with immunization coverage and billing while generating revenue for the school. 21 Regarding humanistic outcomes, Hannings et al showed that 98% of the individuals who received a vaccine through a student-led immunization clinic were satisfied. Furthermore, this clinic was able to capture approximately 68 individuals who would not have been vaccinated otherwise.…”