Development and Implementation of an Academic-Community Partnership to Enhance Care among Homeless Persons

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Pharmacy Practice
• Community Health

Background:

• Health Care for the Homeless (HCH) clinics provide essential services to vulnerable populations.
• Integrating specialized services like pharmacy can enhance patient care within these clinics.
• Academic-pharmacy partnerships offer a framework for improving healthcare delivery in underserved communities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation, outcomes, and benefits of an academic-community partnership.
• To evaluate the impact of pharmacist services on medication use quality and safety in a homeless clinic.
• To assess the satisfaction of clinic providers and staff with integrated pharmacist services.

Main Methods:

• Established an academic-community partnership between a Health Care for the Homeless clinic and a school of pharmacy.
• Integrated pharmacist services into medical and mental health clinics.
• Conducted a satisfaction survey among clinic providers and staff (n=13).

Main Results:

• The partnership successfully improved the quality and safety of medication use.
• Clinic providers and staff reported high satisfaction with integrated pharmacist services.
• The collaboration generated educational and research initiatives.

Conclusions:

• Academic-community partnerships can significantly enhance healthcare delivery for homeless populations.
• Integrating pharmacists into HCH clinics improves medication management and patient safety.
• These collaborations yield mutual benefits, including educational and research advancements.