Implementing Immunizing Pharmacy Technicians in a Federal Healthcare Facility

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Pharmacy Practice
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Pharmacy technicians are authorized to administer immunizations in some US states upon completing accredited training.
• The Whiteriver Service Unit (WRSU), an Indian Health Services federal facility, integrated trained pharmacy technicians for immunization services in 2018.
• WRSU serves a large, rural, and medically underserved population, highlighting the need for expanded healthcare access.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the implementation and impact of a Pharmacy Technician Immunization Program in a federal healthcare setting.
• To gather data on the scope of immunizations administered by pharmacy technicians in a medically underserved area.

Main Methods:

• Seven pharmacy technicians completed accredited immunization training.
• The Pharmacy Technician Immunization Program was launched in June 2018.
• Data on vaccination types and patient demographics were collected from July 2018 to June 2019.

Main Results:

• Seven trained pharmacy technicians administered 4,852 vaccinations (4,394 injections) within one year.
• Patients immunized ranged in age from 2 months to 85 years.
• Vaccinations covered a wide range of diseases including influenza, hepatitis A/B, HPV, and routine childhood immunizations.

Conclusions:

• Pharmacy technicians can effectively expand immunization access in underserved communities.
• This program demonstrated a significant increase in vaccination administration within a federal facility.
• Utilizing trained pharmacy technicians has the potential to reduce vaccine-preventable diseases and mortality.