Improving Healthcare Access Through Pharmacy-Based Innovations

Dr. Westrick participated in Auburn Talks in "This is Auburn Speaker Series".

Despite high healthcare expenditures in the United States, our health outcomes are lower than those of countries spending far less, while access to care is still restricted for certain patient populations. To improve the healthcare system there are three common objectives: reduce cost, increase access, and improve patient outcomes. Implementation of pharmacy-based innovations is a solution which addresses all three objectives. Specifically, the C.A.R.E.S. Pharmacy Network, part of the Access Alabama Initiative, can help Medicare beneficiaries with limited income afford medical care, in turn improving outcomes and access to care. The second innovation focuses on immunizations in community pharmacies; these non-traditional immunization settings increase patient access to care due to convenient hours and locations. Pharmacists offer a novel and effective solution to the healthcare problems in the United States. Optimizing pharmacy operations by incorporating efficient systems will allow pharmacists to offer expanded patient care activities and contribute to improved healthcare