California Pharmacist Spring 2025 - Flipbook - Page 44
Many patients struggle with nonmedical barriers to care. CHWs can
assist with:
• Medication adherence support
• Coordinating transportation for
medical visits
• Connecting patients to food assistance programs
• Helping uninsured patients access
financial aid
How to Incorporate CHWs into
Your Pharmacy
Just like any new service, setting
clear goals ensures success. Here’s an
example:
Objective: Successfully integrate
CHW services into the pharmacy
Key Results:
• Have at least 1 CHW on the pharmacy staff within 6 months, either
through retraining current staff or
hiring an already-qualified CHW.
• Increase patient adherence rates by
10% through CHW interventions.
Examples of CHW Services in a
Pharmacy Setting
Empowering Pharmacies for the
Future
1. Diabetes Self-Management Education
• CHWs can provide one-on-one
coaching to diabetes patients, helping
them understand glucose monitoring, nutrition, and lifestyle adjustments.
• Pharmacy Owners and Managers:
Oversee contracts and financial
sustainability.
• Billing Code: CPT 98960 (individual
coaching)
• MCPs: Partner for patient referrals
and reimbursement.
Call to Action
• Community Organizations: Collaborate for outreach and education
initiatives.
Are you ready to expand your
pharmacy services and tap into
CHW reimbursement? Start by
enrolling in a CHW training
program or contacting MCPs for
partnership opportunities. Let’s
redefine pharmacy care—one
patient, one service, and one
community at a time.
If you want help setting up CHW
services in your pharmacy, please
contact me at amantha@rx-post.
com with the subject line CHW
Interest. We can do this – like
Rachel did!
• Conduct monthly health education
sessions with at least 20 attendees.
2. Medication Adherence and Chronic
Disease Management
• Secure one new contract with
MCPs for CHW reimbursements.
• CHWs call high-risk patients monthly to ensure they are taking medications correctly and check for adverse
effects.
Pharmacy technicians are a natural fit
for CHW roles. Many already assist
with medication adherence, patient
education, and insurance navigation.
Training pharmacy technicians as a
CHW can:
• Billing Code: CPT 98961 (small
group coaching, 2-4 patients)
3. Community Wellness Events
• Enhance their skill set.
• Hosting blood pressure screenings,
influenza shot clinics, and health fairs
with CHW-led education.
• Provide career advancement opportunities.
• Billing Code: CPT 98962 (group
education, 5-8 patients)
• Improve patient relationships and
health outcomes.
4. Social Isolation Interventions (Yes,
Even Bingo!)
Enroll in Medi-Cal’s PAVE portal to
become a certified provider. Contracts with MCPs allow pharmacies
to bill for CHW services and secure
long-term funding.
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• CHWs organize community activities such as bingo nights, which can
reduce social isolation and improve
mental health.
• Pharmacy Technicians: Train as
CHWs to expand their roles.
• Assign leadership: A designated
CHW program lead ensures goals are
met.
• Track outcomes: Use patient adherence rates, reduced hospitalizations,
and community engagement metrics.
• Regular check-ins: Conduct team
meetings to review progress and
adjust strategies.
Final Thoughts: The Future of
Pharmacy with CHWs
Pharmacies have always been pillars
of the community, but now they have
an opportunity to expand their role in
healthcare delivery through CHWs. By
integrating CHWs, pharmacies can:
• Enhance patient care
• Increase revenue streams
• Reduce health disparities
This is not just a new business model—
it’s a paradigm shift in pharmacy care.
By taking the lead in integrating CHW
services, pharmacies will become even
more essential to the communities they
serve.
