With 95% of unintended pregnancies in the United States attributed to incorrect,inconsistent, or non-use of contraception, improving access to reliable contraception is animportant public health issue. Pharmacists are considered the most accessible health careprovider and are well-positioned to improve contraception access by providing pharmacist-prescribed contraception services. The focus of this proposed work is on pharmacists who canprovide greatest access - those in community pharmacies. There are more than 67,750community pharmacies in the United States and only 3,500 are currently offering pharmacistprescribing of contraception. Research consistently identifies barriers to implementation ofpharmacist contraception prescribing. In order to maximize access to contraception, barriers topharmacist implementation must be addressed. This project will develop a Hormonal contraceptive Access via Pharmacist-PrescribingImplementation (HAPPI) package that will support effective and sustainable provision ofpharmacist-prescribed contraception services. We will use a convergent, parallel designincluding both quantitative and qualitative data, grounded in implementation science using theConsolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Evidence-Based QualityImprovement (EBQI). The mixed methods approach will better inform development andrefinement of the HAPPI package. A summary of the existing technology, tools, and resourcesthat may be used, needed, and/or considered to overcome frequently cited barriers to theimplementation of pharmacist-prescribed contraception services will be created. Model adoptercase studies will be created to illustrate "best practices". Pharmacy decision makers (ownersand executives) and end-users (pharmacy manager pharmacists and staff pharmacists) willparticipate in focus groups for concept mapping and a multi-stakeholder advisory panel. Thefocus groups will identify and prioritize tools and resources to be included in the HAPPI packagewhile the multi-stakeholder advisory panel will provide input on perceived acceptability,appropriateness, and feasibility of implementing pharmacist-prescribed contraception serviceswith and without the HAPPI package. Pharmacist contraceptive prescribing has the potential to expand access tocontraception. If successful, this project will create a prototype implementation package that willform the basis for our future SBIR Phase II grant to conduct usability testing and ultimatelycommercialize and measure the impact of the HAPPI package.
Public Health Relevance Statement: Project Narrative
With 95% of unintended pregnancies in the United States attributed to incorrect, inconsistent, or
non-use of contraception, improving access to reliable contraception is an important public
health issue and pharmacists are well-positioned to improve access with pharmacist-prescribed
contraception services. This application targets multiple stakeholders (e.g.; pharmacy owners
and executives, pharmacy manager pharmacists and staff pharmacists) across various
community pharmacy settings (e.g.; chain and independent, urban and rural, contraception
prescribing service adopters and non-adopters). Using a rigorous mixed methods approach, we
develop and refine the Hormonal contraceptive Access via Pharmacist Prescribing
Implementation (HAPPI) package to overcome frequently cited barriers that limit the current
implementation of pharmacist contraception prescribing services.
Project Terms:
