An appointment-based model to systematically assess and administer vaccinations.

OBJECTIVES: To incorporate the assessment of vaccination status and administration of vaccines in an appointment-based model (ABM) and measure the impact on vaccinations administered and patient and pharmacist satisfaction with the appointment-based model. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: An ABM was implemented to systematically assess vaccination status and administer vaccines. Patients made an appointment to pick up synchronized prescriptions, and pharmacists assessed vaccination histories and administered vaccinations during the appointment. In addition, pharmacists could access the statewide immunization information system to objectively determine vaccination histories and document administered vaccines. SETTINGS AND PARTICIPANTS: This project was conducted at 24 Kroger Pharmacies in the Cincinnati-Dayton Area. Any patient filling more than 1 maintenance medication was eligible for the ABM program. Pharmacists were encouraged to target patients at high risk for medication problems and vaccine-preventable diseases, including patients 60 years of age or older with more than 5 medications and high-risk disease states such as diabetes, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. EVALUATION: Pharmacies were randomized, and an a priori analysis was conducted to ensure that the 24 intervention and 78 control stores were similar at baseline. Postimplementation data on the mean number of vaccines per store were compared between the intervention stores and the control stores from September 2014 through December 2015. Patient and pharmacist satisfaction with the ABM was assessed via surveys. RESULTS: The pharmacist vaccine assessment as part of the ABM program showed higher overall mean vaccinations per store compared with the control group during the project period (1810.71 ± 500.88 vs. 1455.09 ± 754.43; P = 0.01). Patients and pharmacists felt that the ABM program facilitated vaccine discussions. CONCLUSION: The ABM program with a focus on vaccinations allowed pharmacists to systematically assess patient vaccination histories and administer vaccines in the pharmacy. Patients and pharmacists appreciated the dedicated time to discuss vaccinations.