Pharmacy VaxChamp Project
Project name: Implementation and assessment of the role of a VaxChamp in the community pharmacy setting
Principal Investigator: Allison Hursman, PharmD, BCGP
Research Team: Ellen Rubinstein, PhD, CAP Center Scientist; Hailey Wanner, PharmD/MPH student
Collaborators: Center for Collaboration and Advancement in Pharmacy, North Dakota Department of Health and Human Resources
Purpose
Community pharmacies have been providing vaccines to patients for over twenty years. North Dakota Community pharmacies stepped up during the COVID 19 pandemic to assist with immunization efforts. Although the pharmacies were able to impact COVID 19 vaccine administration rates, efforts are needed to increase overall immunization rates.
NDSU CAP Center would like to pilot a project implementing and assessing efficacy of a VaxChamp in community pharmacies. VaxChamps have been successful with providers and nursing teams, therefore may show effectiveness in the setting of a pharmacy.
The focus of the pilot would be to increase vaccination rates by the pharmacy. The pilot would include 6 community pharmacies over a 10-month period who are currently administering vaccines. The NDSU CAP Center Team would use previous site visits and NDIIS data to recruit and identify pharmacies to participate. Pharmacy technicians that are currently certified and providing vaccines would be the targeted VaxChamps Pharmacy technicians often are involved in all aspects of the immunization process. The focus of this pilot would focus on 3 specific vaccines: shingles, pneumococcal and hepatitis B.
What was the impact and summary of this project?
What publications, presentations, posters and follow up grants did this work lead to?
Poster Presentations
Wanner H, Hursman A, Rubinstein E. Implementation of a VaxChamp in the Community Pharmacy Setting. Poster presentation at: North Dakota Nurses Association Research Conference. Fargo, ND. October 2023.
Hursman A, Wanner H, Rubinstein E. Implementation of a VaxChamp in the Community Pharmacy Setting. Poster presentation at: Dakota Conference on Rural and Public Health. Bismarck, ND. June 2023.
Wanner H, Hursman A, Rubinstein E. Implementation of a VaxChamp in the Community Pharmacy Setting. Poster presentation at:North Dakota Annual Pharmacy Convention. Minot, ND. April 2023.
Hursman A, Wanner H, Rubinstein E. Implementation of a VaxChamp in the Community Pharmacy Setting. Poster presentation at: American Pharmacists Association Annual Convention. Phoenix, AZ. March 2023.
How can I incorporate this into my pharmacy?
Contact the CAP Center at NDSU.CAPCenter@ndsu.edu, they will assist in sharing the trainings provided to pharmacies to incorporate a process to increase knowledge and confidence in providing immunization services.