Late Breaking Original Research
Tuesday, November 14, 2023
08:30 AM–10:00 AM
Abstract
Introduction: Long-acting injectable antipsychotic (LAI-A) medications demonstrate benefits to psychiatric patients. In North Carolina (NC), pharmacists were granted authority to administer LAI-As in 2021. Community pharmacists are in a great position to increase LAI-A administration access; however, the extent to which they offer this service is unknown.
Research Question or Hypothesis: What are barriers or facilitators to implementing LAI-A administration?
Study Design: Cross-sectional survey emailed to all actively licensed NC community-based pharmacists.
Methods: The survey was open for 30 days with a reminder sent on day 15. Responses from community-based pharmacists licensed in NC were included if at least one non-demographic survey question was answered. Survey questions were adapted from the R=MC2 Readiness Thinking Tool, assessing for barriers or facilitators to implementing LAI-A administration services based on motivation, innovation-specific capacity, and general capacity for change. Results were analyzed using SPSS v.28. Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U (ordinal variables), and student’s t-test (continuous variables) were used to evaluate data. Statistical significance was defined as p<.05.
Results: A 6.7% response rate (319/4800) was yielded; 219 responses met inclusion criteria. Responses were received from independent (n=75, 34%), grocery/merchandiser (n=20, 9.1%), chain (n=77, 35.2%), and other (n=47, 21.5%) community-based settings. Most respondents did not administer LAI-As (n=158, 72.1%), while a minority did (n=61, 27.9%). Significant differences existed in all domains of the R=MC2 Tool: motivation (5/6 items); innovation-specific capacity (4/6 items); and general capacity for change (4/8 items). The top barriers to implementation were time constraints (n=89), staff training (n=72), and concern of legal liability (n=69). Sites who administered LAI-As reported precepting more students (4.8 vs. 2.0; p<00.1) and residents (1.0 vs. 0.4; p=.02) compared to sites not administering LAI-As.
Conclusion: Community-based pharmacists who administer LAI-As scored higher on most items related to motivation, innovation-specific capacity, and general capacity for change. Barriers to administration were time constraints, staff training, and concern of legal liability.
Presenting Author
Laura A. Rhodes PharmDUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Authors
Anna Pfeiffer PharmD
UK Healthcare
Allison Eikenberry BSChem
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Stefanie Ferreri PharmD
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
Jessica Roller PharmD
Pfizer