Abstract
Problem: Emergency departments (ED) care for patients 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, for varied diagnoses which prompt the need for individualized patient care. Patients are evaluated, treated, and discharged from the ED, regardless of the time of day, often with prescriptions for medications needed acutely to treat the patient's medical condition. Outpatient pharmacy services are limited in rural areas, especially those which offer 24-hour access, leaving a care gap for patients discharged at times when pharmacy services are not available, particularly during nights, weekends, and holidays.
Underlying Key Factors/Key Stakeholders: Limited pharmacy access creates a significant healthcare disparity, as many rural areas, in contrast to urban areas, do not have local access to 24-hour pharmacy services. This disparity requires patients either forgo access to essential medications or drive extended distances to more urban areas, which may be preclusive to some. The legal requirement for electronic prescribing further complicates this process, as providers must submit prescriptions to one specific pharmacy, propagating this disparity if the chosen pharmacy is not accessible.
The average distance from 24-hour emergency medical facilities to pharmacies with 24-hour or extended hours (defined as operational late nights and >8 hours daily on weekends) in Northeastern Oklahoma was compared to urban Tulsa County. The average distances from emergency medical facilities to 24-hour or extended-hour pharmacies was significantly farther in rural areas of Oklahoma.
Recommendations: A need exists for expanded pharmacy access in rural areas. Potential solutions to close the care gap include: 1) in-house pharmacy services within ED facilities, 2) protocols and procedures compliant with Oklahoma Pharmacy Law supporting dispensing necessary medications upon ED discharge, and 3) education to healthcare providers regarding consciously considering this disparity when discharging patients from rural ED care.
Underlying Key Factors/Key Stakeholders: Limited pharmacy access creates a significant healthcare disparity, as many rural areas, in contrast to urban areas, do not have local access to 24-hour pharmacy services. This disparity requires patients either forgo access to essential medications or drive extended distances to more urban areas, which may be preclusive to some. The legal requirement for electronic prescribing further complicates this process, as providers must submit prescriptions to one specific pharmacy, propagating this disparity if the chosen pharmacy is not accessible.
The average distance from 24-hour emergency medical facilities to pharmacies with 24-hour or extended hours (defined as operational late nights and >8 hours daily on weekends) in Northeastern Oklahoma was compared to urban Tulsa County. The average distances from emergency medical facilities to 24-hour or extended-hour pharmacies was significantly farther in rural areas of Oklahoma.
Recommendations: A need exists for expanded pharmacy access in rural areas. Potential solutions to close the care gap include: 1) in-house pharmacy services within ED facilities, 2) protocols and procedures compliant with Oklahoma Pharmacy Law supporting dispensing necessary medications upon ED discharge, and 3) education to healthcare providers regarding consciously considering this disparity when discharging patients from rural ED care.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| State | Published - 13 Sep 2024 |
| Event | 2024 Symposium on Tribal and Rural Innovations in Disparities and Equity for Health - Oklahoma State University College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah, United States Duration: 13 Sep 2024 → 13 Sep 2024 |
Conference
| Conference | 2024 Symposium on Tribal and Rural Innovations in Disparities and Equity for Health |
|---|---|
| Abbreviated title | STRIDE 2024 |
| Country/Territory | United States |
| City | Tahlequah |
| Period | 13/09/24 → 13/09/24 |