Herpes Zoster Vaccination and Screening in a Community Health Center

Purpose: Herpes Zoster, a viral disease characterized by painful blisters, is especially prevalent in the elderly population. Currently covered under Medicare Part D, vaccine administration is costly and prohibitive in many underserved health centers. This project describes creation of a partnership between a federally-qualified health center and community pharmacy to enable access and administration of the vaccine in the local underserved geriatric population.

Methods: Key collaborators were approached from a community health center, adult apartment community, and community pharmacy. Barriers to access, including transportation and cost issue, were researched. The health center determined that a program was necessary to provide patients with access to necessary vaccinations. A partnership was established with a pharmacy for prompt and accessible vaccine administration. Screening of potential patients was performed at the community health center followed by an education outreach at both the adult apartment community. After screening, patients were then directly contacted by mail and telephone with information and resources to receive the vaccine.

Results: 40 patients were screened and personally contacted with information about the project. 17 patients demonstrated interest in the vaccination, with 8 patients administered to date. Patient education materials about the vaccine and the partnership were also created and distributed for permanent use at the community health center. This collaboration will be continued in the future to enable more health center patients to directly access the vaccine at the pharmacy.

Conclusion: Educational tools were created to address gaps in patient access to a herpes-zoster vaccination at a community health center.