Utilization of a standardized screening and documentation tool for immunizations within a community pharmacist-led diabetes education program

Abstract

Objective: The primary objective of this study is to determine whether the use of a standardized screening and documentation tool will increase influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccination rates as part of a community pharmacist- led diabetes education program. Secondary objectives include identifying patient-reported barriers for receiving these vaccinations and collecting pharmacist feedback for using the standardized screening and documentation tool. Methods: The regional grocery chain pharmacy in this study has a diabetes education program in which community pharmacists provide disease state management to qualified company employees in accordance with the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. These standards also recommend the influenza, pneumococcal, and hepatitis B vaccinations for patients with diabetes. The diabetes education program lacks a standardized method to screen for and document a patient's immunization history. An internal audit conducted during October 2013 through December 2013 revealed that approximately one-third of patients were documented as receiving the influenza vaccine, two-thirds of patients were documented as receiving the pneumococcal vaccine, and no patients were documented as receiving the hepatitis B vaccine series. A standardized screening and documentation tool for these vaccinations will be utilized by pharmacists conducting diabetes education during October 2014 through December 2014. The tool will serve to help pharmacists determine vaccination status, barriers to vaccination, and a plan of action for unvaccinated patients. Quantitative data that will be measured and reported using descriptive statistics include vaccination rates. Patient-reported barriers to vaccination and pharmacist feedback of the standardized screening tool will be collected and analyzed as qualitative data.