Letter: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacist-administered vaccination services

Patel, Cyra; Dalton, Lauren; Dey, Aditi; Macartney, Kristine; Beard, Frank

doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2020.08.021

Cited by 10 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Additionally, according to the survey, overall work pressure and daily functioning of pharmacies in regional areas (32%) were more significantly affected by the pandemic than those in metropolitan areas (21%). 57 A recent study demonstrated that Australian pharmacists are affected by burnout particularly due to working extra hours, challenges to medication supply management, and unsociable behaviours exhibited by pharmacy cutomers. 58 Support services to improve psychological wellbeing is crucial as the impact of COVID-19 in mental health of pharmacists could be extremely detrimental.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…39 A recent Australian survey highlighted higher demand for influenza vaccination in pharmacies in 2020 than ever before, leading to a shortage of these vaccines. 57 Further, the survey demonstrated that pharmacies were under additional work pressure due to COVID-19 related workload or requirements to be implemented, such as extensive cleaning, physical distancing policies, restrictions on face-to-face meetings with patients, and staff shortages. 57 Shortage in the supply of vaccine coupled with the shortage or overworked pharmacy workforce possessed huge challenge in provision of influenza vaccine to the population.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 57 Further, the survey demonstrated that pharmacies were under additional work pressure due to COVID-19 related workload or requirements to be implemented, such as extensive cleaning, physical distancing policies, restrictions on face-to-face meetings with patients, and staff shortages. 57 Shortage in the supply of vaccine coupled with the shortage or overworked pharmacy workforce possessed huge challenge in provision of influenza vaccine to the population. It is noteworthy that there is an evidence about increased tendency of potential medication errors due to increased workload and stress among pharmacists.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pharmacy practice in emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from Australia

Parajuli

Khanal

Wechkunanukul

et al. 2022

Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

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The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the pharmacy practice and initiatives taken by the Australian federal government to ensure the continued supply of essential medicines under the conditions of an emergency response plan for COVID-19. During the pandemic, Australian pharmacists have been working collaboratively with multidisciplinary teams at the frontline to manage the equitable and safe supply of medicines despite the unprecedented situation. Although these presented problems for small pharmacies, social distancing policies were implemented widely to maintain personal and environmental hygiene and reduce the number of face-to-face patient visits. In collaboration with various pharmaceutical stakeholders, the Australian government responded rapidly to ensure equitable and sufficient supply with continued access to therapeutic goods during the pandemic. Additionally, vital policies and practices have been implemented, including supplying regular medicines at government-subsidized prices, a maximum one-month supply of some prescription medicines and purchase limits on over-the-counter medicines (one unit per purchase), medication management reviews through telehealth, electronic and digital prescribing, home delivery of medicines to vulnerable people and those in home isolation and the provision of serious shortage medicine substitution rights to pharmacists. Pharmacists were encouraged to communicate and collaborate with other local pharmacies to ensure that essential pharmacy services met community needs (e.g., opening hours). However, there has been a shortage of some medicines due to supply chain disruption and increased demand due to the pandemic. Higher demand for flu vaccinations, increased work pressure in pharmacies, and severe frustration and anxiety in pharmacy customers were also reported. Vigilance is required to monitor foreseeable shortages of therapeutics goods, particularly in regional pharmacies. There is an opportunity for long-term change to retain certain rights and roles based on the competence shown by pharmacists in this challenging period, such as telephone medication reviews, telehealth for MedsCheck and Diabetes MedsCheck, digital prescription handling and therapeutic substitution.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Pharmacy practice in emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from Australia

Parajuli

Khanal

Wechkunanukul

et al. 2022

Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy

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“…O atuação do farmacêutico no âmbito da vacinação tem como objetivo possibilitar o serviço, aconselhando a população sobre os seus benefícios, esclarecendo dúvidas e desmitificando concepções erradas, que muitas vezes provocam a não adesão à vacinação; reconhecer indivíduos específicos a grupos-alvo e aconselhar a consulta médica, o que é mais facilmente alcançado no decurso do processo de dispensa de medicamentos; dispensar e administrar vacinas a todos os utentes que escolheram a farmácia e/ou drogaria como local para se vacinarem (Patel et al, 2021).…”

Section: Discussionunclassified

O papel do farmacêutico nos serviços de vacinação: revisão integrativa

Sales

Oliveira

Sena

et al. 2021

RSD

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Objetivo: realizar uma revisão integrativa sobre a atuação do farmacêutico nos serviços de vacinação para que aceitem, reivindiquem e adotem um papel maior na promoção da vacinação no Brasil. Métodos: Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura sobre a prática dos serviços de vacinação por farmacêuticos. Resultados: Constatou-se que os serviços farmacêuticos estão em crescente evolução, porém, existem poucos estudos que indicam os serviços de vacinação por farmacêuticos no país. Proporcionar altas abrangências vacinais e a inclusão de novas instituições de saúde, como as farmácias e/ou drogarias, vem tornando possível a globalização das vacinações, inclusive a introdução de novas vacinas nos países mais pobres do mundo. O farmacêutico e sua equipe exercem papel fundamental na assistência e/ou cuidado farmacêutico com qualidade. Eles são incumbidos por garantir a execução do acesso a medicamento, como as vacinas, pois tanto o profissional quanto seus auxiliares possibilitam ações que permitem aos usuários compreender melhor sua saúde, seus medicamentos, seu projeto terapêutico e suas necessidades. Conclusão: O professional farmacêutico possui importância significativa, em conjunto com outros profissionais, nos serviços de imunização. No Brasil, este profissional exerce o direito legal e competência técnica para executar esse serviço e a imunização realizada por farmacêuticos nas farmácias e/ou drogarias, além de consolidar a prática clínica, contribuiu para o acesso e aumento das taxas de cobertura vacinais no país.

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“…[36] The active COVID-19 caseload at the time of vaccine deployment may not be known,[18] nor the impact this might have on the available immunisation workforce. While pharmacists in Australia are not expected to deliver COVID-19 immunisations during initial deployment, they can still influence vaccine uptake through education and advocacy,[15,32] deliver a range of routine vaccinations and provide critical surge capacity[37] including for COVID-19 vaccines, and surveillance in the early event non-pharmacist immunisers are overloaded or under lockdown. Pharmacists can capture patients who are fearful of encountering acutely infectious individuals in clinic waiting rooms,[15] and should be considered, with active surveillance on board, as early potential vaccinators for Australia.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Active vaccine safety surveillance via a scalable, integrated system in Australian pharmacies.

Salter

Singh

Nissen

et al. 2020

Preprint

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Introduction: Active vaccine safety surveillance will be critical to COVID-19 vaccine deployment. Pharmacists have been identified as potential immunisers in COVID-19 policies, yet there are no reported active surveillance systems operating in pharmacies. We integrated an established participant-centred active vaccine safety surveillance system with a cloud-based pharmacy immunisation-recording program. We measured adverse events following immunisation (AEFI) reported via the new surveillance system in pharmacies, and compared these to AEFI reported via an existing surveillance system in non-pharmacy sites (general practice and other clinics). Methods: A prospective cohort study of individuals>10 years receiving influenza immunisations from 22 pharmacies and 90 non-pharmacy sites between March and October, 2020, in Australia. Active surveillance was conducted using SMS and smartphone technology, via an opt-out system. Multivariable logistic regression (including a subgroup analysis of participants over 65 years) was used to assess differences in proportions of AEFI between participants immunised in pharmacies compared to non-pharmacy sites, adjusting for confounders of age, sex, and influenza vaccine brand. Results: Of 101,440 influenza immunisation participants (6,992 from pharmacies; 94,448 from non-pharmacy sites), 77,498 (76.4%) responded; 96.1% (n=74,448) within 24 hours. Overall, 4.8% (n=247) pharmacy participants reported an AEFI, compared with 6.0% (n=4,356) non-pharmacy participants (adjusted odds ratio: 0.87; 95% confidence interval: 0.76 to 0.99; p=0.039). Similar proportions of AEFIs were reported in pharmacy (5.8%; n=31) and non-pharmacy participants (6.0; n=1617) aged over 65 years (adjusted odds ratio: 0.94, 95% confidence interval: 0.65 to 1.35; p=0.725). Conclusion: High and rapid response rates demonstrate good participant engagement with active surveillance in both pharmacy and non-pharmacy participants. Significantly fewer AEFIs reported after pharmacist immunisations compared to non-pharmacy immunisations, with no difference in older adults, suggests different cohorts attend pharmacy and non-pharmacy immunisers. The integrated pharmacy system is rapidly scalable across Australia with global potential.

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Letter: Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacist-administered vaccination services

Cited by 10 publications

References 10 publications

Pharmacy practice in emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from Australia

Pharmacy practice in emergency response during the COVID-19 pandemic: Lessons from Australia

O papel do farmacêutico nos serviços de vacinação: revisão integrativa

Active vaccine safety surveillance via a scalable, integrated system in Australian pharmacies.

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