Novel Roles of the Rural Pharmacist in Community and Public Health

Issues: The American Public Health Association has recognized that there are many functions of public health that can benefit from the unique skills of a pharmacist, including pharmacotherapy knowledge, access to medical advice and screening, prevention services or a combination of these functions.  Utilizing the skills and expertise of pharmacists by integrating them into the public health system is especially beneficial for rural communities. This is important, considering that the past decades have shown increasing rates of un-insurance, acccess to health care, poverty and mortality in rural areas.

Description: Pharmacists and pharmacy students serving in rural Carlton County, Minnesota, play a key role in facilitating community-based health screenings, collaborating with community leaders in providing resources for the homeless and economically disadvantaged, providing substance abuse prevention programming, assisting in emergency preparedness programming and in providing immunization education and resources for Public Health Nurses.

Lessons Learned: Pharmacists serving in rural locations are capable of providing valuable public health services. By forming relationships with community members and public health professionals, pharmacists can utilize their clinical knowledge and serve their community while addressing health disparities and improving public health.

Recommendations: The various roles of the pharmacist in public health must be emphasized and practiced in the pharmacy curriculum so rural communities can benefit from the skills this profession has to offer. Rural pharmacists can play a key role in improving community health as members of the public health team.