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Expanding Immunization Access in Community Pharmacies

Developing consistent protocols and training for pharmacist-provided immunizations

Full Project Name:Expanding Immunization Access through Wisconsin's Community PharmaciesPrimary Community Organization:Wisconsin Pharmacy FoundationPrimary Academic Partner:Kenneth G. Schellhase, MD, MPH, Family and Community MedicineAward Amount:$489,121
Award Date
January2018
Project Duration:30 months

Project Description Narrative:


Evidence shows that a significant number of individuals who receive vaccines in non-traditional settings, including pharmacies, do not have primary care providers and seek pharmacy vaccination because of the ability to pay out of pocket. To expand patient access to immunizations across Wisconsin, project partners aim to develop a consistent vaccination protocol and training for pharmacist-provided immunizations and pursue sustainable policy change to enable vaccine claims submission from the pharmacist.

Community partners: Medical College of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy, Wisconsin Pharmacy Foundation/Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Pharmacy Foundation/Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Department of Health Services - Bureau of Communicable Diseases, Wisconsin Immunization Program, Wisconsin Medicaid, WEA Trust, Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin, Aurora Health Care, Walgreens, CVS Health, Quartz/Gundersen Health Plan/Unity Health Insurance, Boscobel Pharmacy, Public Health Madison & Dane County/Dane County Immunization Coalition, Southern Wisconsin Immunization Consortium, Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (Wisconsin), Wisconsin Academy of Family Physicians, National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations, Children's Community Health Plan (CCHP)

Outcomes & Lessons Learned:


  • Expanded vaccine coverage by two health plans to include pharmacies as a location of immunization for some membership populations
  • Continued to identify the root causes of vaccine administration and reporting barriers to further expand access and patient care
  • Engaged vaccine experts to revise a vaccine administration training to enable the training of more pharmacists in a timely fashion and offer opportunities for continuing education
  • Began exploring a partnership with the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, public health, and a pharmacy chain to begin a vaccination clinic at schools in support of the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program in hopes to expand VFC's usage around the state

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