Abstract
Objectives
This study describes hormonal contraception services provided by pharmacists and characterizes
patient populations utilizing the service at one supermarket-based pharmacy chain
in California and Oregon.
Study design
This is a descriptive study of 391 pharmacies in California and Oregon within a supermarket-based
pharmacy chain providing hormonal contraception services and the patients who utilized
those services in a 6.5-month period between August 2016 and February 2017. Data were
extracted from pharmacy prescription records and available visit documentation forms
to describe services provided and patient characteristics.
Results
During the study period, 381 trained pharmacists from the pharmacy chain provided
hormonal contraception services in 391 pharmacy locations in Oregon and California.
A total of 2117 visits were completed and 1970 hormonal contraception prescriptions
were issued and dispensed during the study period. Researchers were able to access
documentation for 676 visits (32%). Patients from various age groups (range 13–55 years
old) and geographical locations (22 states total) utilized the service. Most had health
insurance (74%), had seen a primary care provider in the past year (89%) and were
previous hormonal contraception users (91%). Contraceptive methods prescribed include
pill (n=1886, 95.7%), patch (n=31, 1.6%), vaginal ring (n=51, 2.6%) and injectable (n=2, 0.1%).
Conclusion
Following scope of practice expansion, pharmacists in a community-based pharmacy setting
are serving as an access point for women to obtain hormonal contraception services
and supplies.
Implications
This study provides an initial look at California's and Oregon's expansion of hormonal
contraception prescribing authority to pharmacists. The service was available across
all pharmacy locations of a supermarket-based chain in California and select locations
in Oregon and utilized by diverse populations of patients. Pharmacists effectively
provided hormonal contraception services and supplies to most patients seeking hormonal
contraception.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: December 16, 2018
Accepted:
December 5,
2018
Received in revised form:
December 4,
2018
Received:
June 29,
2018
Footnotes
☆Funding: This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.
☆☆Conflicts of interest: none.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
