Implementation of hepatitis C screening within a pharmacist-managed medication-assisted therapy opioid use disorder...

Community pharmacies have limited roles in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, despite their accessibility. Prior research has shown that medication-assisted therapy (MAT) protocols are typically physician-led, with pharmacists serving in supportive roles. No prior work had resolved how pharmacists might independently manage MAT programs while addressing comorbid conditions like hepatitis C virus (HCV). This gap motivated the development of a pharmacist-managed OUD protocol with integrated HCV screening. It was already known that HCV screening is often overlooked in OUD care, even among patients without intravenous drug use history. The absence of pharmacist-led OUD programs with HCV screening created a need for new models. Kentucky's 2018 MAT OUD protocol approval provided an opportunity to test this approach. The study aimed to address how pharmacists could lead OUD care and expand screening services. This background sets the stage for assessing protocol retention and HCV screening outcomes.

The study aimed to evaluate a pharmacist-led OUD protocol with integrated HCV screening. The specific problem was the lack of pharmacist-managed OUD programs with comprehensive care components like HCV screening. The motivation was to test whether community pharmacies could independently manage MAT programs while addressing comorbid conditions. The protocol was implemented in a Kentucky community pharmacy affiliated with a detox center. The goal was to assess patient retention and HCV screening rates. The study also sought to determine if pharmacist-initiated HCV screening could be feasible and effective. The protocol was designed to operate under the Kentucky MAT OUD guidelines. The study aimed to provide evidence for expanding pharmacist roles in OUD care.

The study used a pharmacy residency program to implement a MAT OUD protocol. The protocol was led by a PGY-1 pharmacy resident at a community pharmacy in Louisville, KY. The pharmacy was approved by the state board to manage OUD under the MAT protocol. The resident added HCV screening as a new component of the program. Patients enrolled in the MAT OUD program were assessed for HCV. The study period covered the 2018-2019 residency program. Patient retention was measured over a 6-month period. HCV screening results were collected for all consenting patients.

Seventy-seven patients enrolled in the MAT OUD program. Thirty-six patients consented to HCV screening. Fifty-two percent of participants remained in the program for 6 months or more. All 36 HCV-screened patients had recent screenings. The pharmacy was the first in Kentucky to implement the MAT OUD protocol. Patient retention rates were comparable to physician-led programs. HCV-positive results were found in patients without intravenous drug use history. These findings suggest that pharmacist-led OUD programs can include HCV screening effectively.

The authors propose that pharmacist-led OUD programs can include HCV screening as a standard component. The study suggests that HCV screening is feasible in community pharmacies managing OUD. The authors propose that HCV-positive cases may occur in patients without known risk factors. The study suggests that pharmacist-led OUD programs can achieve retention rates similar to physician-led models. The authors propose that integrating HCV screening into OUD protocols improves patient care. The authors suggest that HCV screening should be considered a requirement in OUD protocols. The study supports expanding pharmacist roles in managing OUD and related conditions. The authors propose that community pharmacies can serve as accessible OUD treatment sites.