A retrospective review of the impact of immunization eCare plans in community-based pharmacy setting

Abstract

Background: The Pharmacist Electronic Care (eCare) plan is an electronic documentation and billing platform that allows for exchanging and integrating pharmacy patient care information. eCare plans make it easier for pharmacists to track recommendations and referrals to both patients and providers and to bill for services.

Objectives: To determine the impact on the type and number of vaccines administered after the completion of immunization eCare plans and to examine sociodemographic differences in patients who received immunizations were documented in an eCare plan in a community-based pharmacy setting.

Practice description: Bremo Pharmacy is an independently owned pharmacy located in Richmond, Virginia. Bremo Pharmacy offers a medication synchronization program targeting patients for enrollment in compliance packaging and clinical services.

Practice innovation: Bremo Pharmacists use eCare plans to track patient and provider interactions, goals, and medication-related information. Pharmacists used eCare plans to document vaccine recommendations and interactions with patients as a tool to increase vaccinations.

Evaluation methods: Reports were generated to extract data containing information from each eCare plan during the intervention period and the number and type of vaccines administered 1 and 2 years before the intervention. Percent change was used to calculate the change in vaccines administered between years. The sociodemographic data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and bivariate statistical analysis using SAS 9.0 (Cary, NC).

Results: There were a total of 1105 immunization eCare plans completed. An increase of 136.6% in vaccines administered occurred after the implementation of the eCare plans. While the number of vaccines administered increased, no significant differences were found in vaccine uptake by gender or age.

Conclusion: Immunization eCare plans are a useful tool to help pharmacists increase the number of vaccines administered in an independent pharmacy.