Evaluating COVID-19's Impact on Patient Access to Care in the Community Pharmacy Setting

Introduction: Community pharmacies across the country have been adapting the ways their patients receive medications and prescription information during the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to reduce the risk of COVID-19 infection, the CDC encouraged patients to use pharmacy drive-throughs, curbside pickup, or home delivery services to obtain medications. This research study is one of the first studies to analyze how patients utilize and access Medication Management Services (MMS) in the community pharmacy setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: To evaluate changes to patients' utilization of Medication Management Services in the community pharmacy setting during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Eligible patients included persons 18 years old and older, and currently taking at least (1) chronic prescription medication in the last three months. Pharmacists were excluded from the study. Telephonic or video interviews were conducted with patients from community pharmacy settings. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize patient characteristics and responses to select interview questions. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted with data collected from open-ended interview questions. Results: Thirty-five patients participated in interviews. Patients reported increased use of telehealth and technology, increases in quantity or days supply of medications, initiation of mail delivery services, and curbside pick-up. Five (14.3%) patients used telehealth or increased their technology usage due to the pandemic. Seven (20%) patients reported they were more proactive in refilling their medications. Eleven (31.4%) patients indicated they were currently using a prescription delivery service and were likely to continue the service. On the contrary, five (14.3%) patients experienced decreased healthcare professional interactions, while 3 (8.6%) patients encountered slowed pharmacy processing and 2 (5.7%) faced technology barriers. However, 58% of patients reported no changes to the way they utilized MMS during COVID-19. Conclusion: Like many other healthcare providers, the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shift in how community pharmacies care for the patients they serve. This study identified various changes in how the pandemic impacted the way patients accessed and utilized community pharmacy services. These findings can serve to inform community pharmacies on how to best serve their patients during this and future pandemic.