Pharmacy Workflow for Immunization Services
Back-end Vaccine Workflow
- All processing and billing is managed back-end by a team member assigned to those tasks - Patient schedules appointment (often online), pharmacy team verifies information and administers vaccine.
A pharmacy technician may perform which of the following roles
- Ask patients to complete screening questionnaires
Pharmacy Setting
- Community Pharmacy: walk-in model, appointment-based model, mass vaccination clinics - Physician Practice: integration with other services (medication management) - Long-Term Care Facility: vaccination clinic
Learning Objectives
- Explain how the pharmacy practice setting affects workflow models for immunization services - List factors that affect scheduling for vaccine services - Describe roles for support staff in the delivery of pharmacy-based immunization services
Roles for Technicians: Documentation
- Gather information about patient vaccine history - Input information into pharmacy patient record - Report vaccination to primary care provider and immunization registry (information system) - Submit billing claims and collect payment.
Summary
- Immunization services are affected by several factors including setting and vaccine offerings - Vaccine offerings may include scheduled appointments, walk-in visits, and clinics - Ensure that staffing is adequate to support vaccine offerings - Leverage support staff to free up the pharmacist's time for clinical responsibilities
Which of the following vaccines would be best delivered in a mass vaccination clinic?
- Influenza vaccine
Integrating Immunizations with Other Patient-Care Service Offerings
- Integrate immunizations into other patient-care services - Medication Therapy Management (MTM): identify need and administer vaccine, refer to another provider - Disease State Management: identify need and administer vaccine, example: hepatitis B vaccine offered to all patients receiving diabetes patient care services - Medication Reconciliation: Identify need and administer vaccine Integrate other services to vaccine administration: fill prescription, offer MTM, reconcile medication, or screen for other vaccines while patients sit during a 15-minute observation period after vaccine administration
A potential advantage of accommodating walk-in vaccines, compared with only scheduling appointments, is that:
- It may allow greater flexibility and convenience for the patient
Which setting best facilitates the delivery of a mass vaccination clinic for the general population
- On-site community event
Workflow Model Considerations for Community Pharmacies
- Scheduled Appointments: ensure adequate staffing, may shorten patient wait times - Walk-ins: individual vaccines (influenza) vs. vaccine series (herpes zoster), reminders for subsequent doses, some vaccines may need to be ordered (travel vaccines)
Staffing Conserations
- Scheduling pharmacists - Delegating non-clinical tasks to support staff - Pharmacy technicians, student pharmacists, and/or clerks - Student pharmacists are often allowed to administer immunizations - Depending on state law, pharmacy technicians may administer immunizations.
After the routine administration of a vaccine, the pharmacy technician should send documentation of the vaccine to:
- The patient's primary care physician
Vaccine Clinics
- Vaccine type will affect decision making, common for seasonal vaccinations, such as influenza - Offered in pharmacy or other locations can increase convenience and access for patients - Businesses - Schools - Houses of worship - Community centers
Which of the following statements are true regarding vaccine clinics?
- Vaccines with seasonal demand are more commonly offered during clinics. - Holding a clinic in an off-site location may increase convenience for patients.
Roles of Technicians: Patient Visit Examples
1. Ask patient to complete screening questionnaire 2. Deliver VIS to patient 3. Administer the immunization (if allowed) 4. Observe the patient after the immunization
