Clinical Pharmacy Services Enhanced by Electronic Health Record (EHR) Access: An Innovation Narrative

Background: Patient care in the community pharmacy setting is often hindered due to limited access to adequate patient health information (PHI). Various studies suggest that lack of access to PHI is a main reason for delay in pharmaceutical care, medication dispensing errors, and lacking interprofessional relationships between prescribers and pharmacists. Literature has shown that interprofessional collaboration and improved access to PHI can improve transitions of care and communication for pharmacists, but literature is sparse on implementation of electronic health record (HER) access within independent community pharmacies. Methods: This observational study follows implementation of HER access into a rural community pharmacy to enhance common clinical services carried out by pharmacy staff. Metrics include number of enhanced consultations by pharmacy staff, type of consultations provided, potential reimbursement, decreased need to follow up with other providers, potential for decreased time to treatment or refills, and aspects of EHR most utilized during search. Results: Two-hundred sixty three patients’ profiles were assessed, with 164 (62.4%) deemed appropriate for EHR access and searching. Most interventions made were related to cardiovascular, endocrinologic, neuropsychiatric, and COVID-19 therapy medications. Conclusion: EHR access in community pharmacy has the potential to improve both the quality and availability of clinical patient interventions through enhanced knowledge of PHI.