Scaling the primary care pharmacist: Evaluating the long-term impact of a pharmacist primary care certificate...

In 2021, a Pharmacist Primary Care Certificate Training Program was launched at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy. Over the first 3 years and 6 cohorts, 44 pharmacists completed the program. At program completion, short-term data showed that 97.73% of learners either partially or fully achieved self-identified SMART goals; however, practice change and long-term impact was unknown.

To assess the long-term impact of the Pharmacist Primary Care Certificate Training Program.

This mixed methods study applied the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance framework to assess the program's Maintenance domain, including pharmacist-reported job satisfaction and marketability, primary care knowledge and skills, practice change, patient outcomes, and goal achievement. Data were collected via web-based survey and semistructured interviews. All pharmacists who completed the program (n = 44) were invited to participate, ranging from 3 months to 2 years postprogram completion. Survey data was analyzed via descriptive statistics. Interviews were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis.

Nineteen pharmacists participated in the survey. Participants reported improved primary care knowledge, skills, confidence, and job marketability, and positive impact on patient outcomes and practice change. Key factors influencing long-term impact and sustainability of the program included time, organizational resources and support, billing and reimbursement of services, and physician buy-in for collaborative practice. Ten pharmacists participated in interviews between May and June 2024. Five themes were identified: Internal Facilitators and Barriers, External Facilitators and Barriers, Impact on Pharmacists Professional Advancement, Impact of Pharmacy Practice and Patient Outcomes, and Certificate Program Components that Influence Impact.

The Pharmacist Primary Care Certificate Training Program equipped pharmacists with the perceived skills, network, and confidence necessary to practice in outpatient primary care and be more competitive in the job market. However, there are specific barriers that influence long-term program impact, suggesting opportunities for practice transformation and further research.