Increasing access to psychiatric care during the COVID-19 pandemic through mental health clinical pharmacy specialist services

INTRODUCTION: Higher rates of mental health conditions, increased incidence of psychiatric diagnoses, and symptom relapse with minimal access to psychotherapeutic services are reported during the COVID-19 pandemic. A local area clinic in the United States that exists to serve underprivileged patients helps to combat poor psychiatric outcomes by offering psychiatric clinics, pharmacotherapy management, and medications at reduced or no cost. METHODS: Recruitment and data collection were conducted from May 3, 2021, to March 3, 2022. Patients were seen by psychiatrists or the mental health clinical pharmacy specialist (MHCPS), and consent was obtained for the completion of satisfaction surveys. Five-point Likert scale comparisons were utilized to assess patient-perceived differences in clinician care. The primary study objective was to determine if access to care could be increased with the addition of an MHCPS, and secondary objectives included evaluating patient perceptions of clinician care as well as reporting MHCPS interventions. RESULTS: Participant baseline demographics and common psychiatric diagnoses are reported. An MHCPS was incorporated into the clinic during the study allowing for 1 additional patient care period per month. The most frequent score among all surveys was 4.8 (P > .05) on a 5-point scale, indicating no statistically significant differences between clinician care. MHCPS interventions are reported. DISCUSSION: The addition of an MHCPS allowed for additional patient care appointments for the clinic each month. MHCPS care offered no significant differences from psychiatrist care based on patient satisfaction surveys, highlighting the utility of pharmacist involvement for managing psychiatric disease states and increasing access to mental health services.