Release Date
Geography
Language of Resource
Full Text Available
Open Access / OK to Reproduce
Peer Reviewed
Objective
In an Indigenous Health Service hospital in rural Minnesota, the pharmacy sought to integrate harm reduction and express Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) services into its scope of practice.
Findings/Key points
From October 2022 to November 2023, the program had 500 visits from 101 unique patients with a median age of 36. Among users of the service, 71% did not have a primary care provider. Once patient incentives were introduced, express STI testing increased over 10-fold. The laboratory panels had a 44% positivity rate for either an STI or HCV.
Design/methods
The program was designed with input from tribal counterparts and internal medical staff. The pharmacy window was made the intake point for services for patient education, harm reduction materials, and STI testing and treatment. Collaborative practice agreements and standing orders greatly expanded the pharmacy’s ability to deliver care.
