Improved Influenza Vaccination Rates in a Rural Population as a Result of a Pharmacist‐Managed Immunization Campaign

Amburgh, Jenny A. Van; Waite, Nancy; Hobson, Eric H.; Migden, Hedy

doi:10.1592/phco.21.13.1115.34624

Cited by 68 publications

(53 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…In those aged 65 years of age or older, influenza vaccine coverage Pharmacists began immunizing in the United States in the mid-1990s and subsequently have more published research, which has consistently shown higher rates of adult immunization in states that allowed pharmacists to vaccinate versus those that did not. [8][9][10][11][12] Although we have not compared our vaccination rates to other provinces, we have compared to previous years and similarly found increased influenza vaccination coverage in the year with the addition of pharmacists administering immunizations compared to previous years.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of pharmacists as immunizers on influenza vaccination coverage in Nova Scotia, Canada

Isenor

Alia

Killen

et al. 2016

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

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Immunization coverage in Canada has continued to fall below national goals. The addition of pharmacists as immunizers may increase immunization coverage. This study aimed to compare estimated influenza vaccine coverage before and after pharmacists began administering publicly funded influenza immunizations in Nova Scotia, Canada. Vaccination coverage rates and recipient demographics for the influenza vaccination seasons 2010-2011 to 2012-2013 were compared with the 2013-2014 season, the first year pharmacists provided immunizations. In 2013-2014, the vaccination coverage rate for those 5 years of age increased 6%, from 36% in 2012-2013 to 42% (p<0.001). Pharmacists administered over 78,000 influenza vaccinations, nearly 9% of the province's population over the age of five. Influenza vaccine coverage rates for those 65 increased by 9.8% (p<0.001) in 2013-2014 compared to 2012-2013. Influenza vaccination coverage in Nova Scotia increased in 2013-2014 compared to previous years with a universal influenza program. Various factors may have contributed to the increased coverage, including the addition of pharmacists as immunizers and media coverage of influenza related fatalities. Future research will be necessary to fully determine the impact of pharmacists as immunizers.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of pharmacists as immunizers on influenza vaccination coverage in Nova Scotia, Canada

Isenor

Alia

Killen

et al. 2016

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

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“…23 The addition of pharmacists as immunization providers is one way to expand access and subsequently improve vaccination coverage. [13][14][15][16][17] Early studies in Canada have shown the addition of pharmacists as immunizers of influenza vaccine to be successful. 24,25 Many provinces are allowing the administration of additional vaccines by pharmacists; however, the uptake is not well known at this time, as many vaccines are purchased privately and are not provided through public health.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[13][14][15][16][17] There is evidence that pharmacists can increase access and immunization rates specifically in rural areas, areas that are usually underserviced by physicians and/or public health clinics. 16,24,26 Other studies have found that patients appreciate pharmacist immunization services, as pharmacists offer convenient locations and times including "off-clinic hours," such as evenings, weekends, and holidays, when traditional HCPs are often not available.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Since then, increased public awareness, improved accessibility, and higher rates of adult immunization have been seen in states that allowed pharmacists to vaccinate compared to those that did not. [13][14][15][16][17] In the US, more than 260,000 pharmacists have been trained to administer vaccines across the lifespan; most have been trained in a nationally recognized certificate training program. 18 In 2007, Alberta became the first province in Canada to expand pharmacists' scope of practice to include administration of vaccines.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Routine immunization of adults by pharmacists: Attitudes and beliefs of the Canadian public and health care providers

MacDougall

Halperin

Isenor

et al. 2016

Human Vaccines & Immunotherapeutics

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Vaccine coverage among adults for recommended vaccines is generally low. In Canada and the US, pharmacists are increasingly becoming involved in the administration of vaccines to adults. This study measured the knowledge, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors of Canadian adults and health care providers regarding pharmacists as immunizers. Geographically representative samples of Canadian adults (n D 4023) and health care providers (n D 1167) were surveyed, and 8 focus groups each were conducted nationwide with adults and health care providers. Provision of vaccines by pharmacists was supported by 64.6% of the public, 82.3% of pharmacists, 57.4% of nurses, and 38.9% of physicians; 45.7% of physicians opposed pharmacist-delivered vaccination. Pharmacists were considered a trusted source of vaccination information by 75.0% of the public, exceeding public health officials (68.3%) and exceeded only by doctors and nurses (89.2%). Public concerns about vaccination in pharmacies centered on safety (management of adverse events), record keeping (ensuring their family physician was informed), and cost (should be no more expensive than vaccination at public health or physicians' offices). Concerns about the logistics of vaccination delivery were expressed more frequently in regions where pharmacists were not yet immunizing than in jurisdictions with existing pharmacist vaccination programs. These results suggest that the expansion of pharmacists' scope of practice to include delivery of adult vaccinations is generally accepted by Canadian health care providers and the public. Acceptance of this expanded scope of pharmacist practice may contribute to improvements in vaccine coverage rates by improving vaccine accessibility.

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“…Additionally, many immunization initiatives are not successful because they are not tailored to any specific target audience, or they simply fail to identify high-risk populations. 6 there has been an increasing emphasis on involving nontraditional sites like pharmacies, churches, grocery stores, and shopping malls to increase immunization rates. 7 Pharmacists play an important role in promoting immunizations, as immunization facilitators by hosting nurses at pharmacies to administer immunizations and also as counselors by educating and motivating patients to obtain timely immunizations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Impact of the American Pharmacists Association's (APhA) Immunization Training Certification Program

Kamal¹,

Madhavan²,

Maine³

2003

Am J Pharm Educ

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Objectives. To survey a random sample of pharmacist participants in the American Pharmacists Association's (APhA) Immunization Training Certification Program to determine: (1) their opinions and perceived benefits from the training program; (2) current involvement and nature of involvement in immunization-related activities, particularly administering; and (3) perceived barriers to implementing pharmacy-based immunization services. Methods. A questionnaire was mailed to 600 pharmacists who were randomly selected from 3,233 pharmacists who participated in APhA's training program as of August 2001. Results. Four mailings yielded a response rate of 38.8%. Pharmacists were overwhelmingly satisfied with the training they had received with 92.3% indicating that they would recommend the training to other pharmacists. A majority (56.6%) of pharmacists trained by APhA to provide immunizations were providing immunization-related services. Over half (65.4%) of the practicing pharmacists reported administering adult vaccines, but only 3.1% reported administering childhood vaccines. In states that allow pharmacists to administer vaccines, both those administering and those not administering vaccines perceived availability of time as the primary barrier. Conclusion. Pharmacists who had participated in APhA's Immunization Training Certificate program were satisfied with the training that they had received. About half of those trained are administering adult immunizations. Pharmacists who were not administering vaccines generally rated the barriers to immunization as more severe than those administering.

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Improved Influenza Vaccination Rates in a Rural Population as a Result of a Pharmacist‐Managed Immunization Campaign

Abstract: Our pharmacist-managed vaccine program increased the influenza immunization rate in high-risk patients.

Cited by 68 publications

References 19 publications

Impact of pharmacists as immunizers on influenza vaccination coverage in Nova Scotia, Canada

Impact of pharmacists as immunizers on influenza vaccination coverage in Nova Scotia, Canada

Routine immunization of adults by pharmacists: Attitudes and beliefs of the Canadian public and health care providers

Impact of the American Pharmacists Association's (APhA) Immunization Training Certification Program

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