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Rural Pharmacy and Prescription Drugs – Resources

Selected recent or important resources focusing on Rural Pharmacy and Prescription Drugs.

Introducing Clinical Pharmacy Specialists into Interprofessional Primary Care Teams
Examines the integration of clinical pharmacy specialists as part of the interprofessional primary care team and in the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Rural Veteran Access (CRVA) initiative to determine impacts on healthcare access for rural patients.
Author(s): Megan B. McCullough, Anna Zogas, Chris Gillespie, et al.
Citation: Medicine (Baltimore), 100(38), e26689
Date: 09/2021
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Rural Community Pharmacies' Preparedness for and Responses to COVID-19
Analyzes emergency preparedness for COVID-19 in rural, southeastern community pharmacies and how emergency preparedness responses varied by level of rurality. Utilizes survey data from 62 pharmacists part of the Rural Research Alliance of Community Pharmacies (RURAL-CP), examining COVID-19 information source use, interest in COVID-19 testing, infection control procedures, disaster preparedness training, medication supply impacts, and demographic characteristics, comparing responses from pharmacists located in large rural town, small rural town, and isolated rural town.
Additional links: Poster Presentation
Author(s): Delesha M. Carpenter, Tessa Hastings, Salisa Westrick, et al.
Citation: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy, 17, 1327-1331
Date: 07/2021
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Opioid-Related and Stimulant-Related Adult Inpatient Stays, 2012-2018
Presents statistics on inpatient hospital stays related to the dependence, abuse, and adverse effects of opioids and stimulants between 2012 and 2018. Examines data by patient characteristics, including age, sex, race/ethnicity, urban or rural location of residence, and income.
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
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Pharmacy Vaccination Service Availability in Nonmetropolitan Counties
Data brief exploring the availability of pharmacies that might be able to provide vaccinations in rural areas. Features statistics and county-level maps showing availability in nonmetropolitan areas of all retail pharmacies, partner chain/franchise pharmacies, and pharmacies offering immunization services.
Author(s): Fred Ullrich, Keith Mueller
Date: 02/2021
Sponsoring organization: RUPRI Center for Rural Health Policy Analysis
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Opioids in Medicaid: Concerns About Opioid Use Among Beneficiaries in Six Appalachian States in 2018
Examines the rates of opioid use of Medicaid beneficiaries in 6 Appalachian states in 2018. Discusses the amount of the prescriptions issued, the amounts of opioids received, and the amount of providers with questionable prescribing practices, among other opioid-related measures.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Few Patients Received High Amounts of Opioids from IHS-Run Pharmacies
Presents an evaluation of the opioid prescribing practices of the Indian Health Service (IHS). Bases analysis on IHS opioid prescribing data, discusses the role of electronic health records (EHRs) in monitoring opioid prescriptions, and makes recommendations to improve monitoring.
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Office of Inspector General (HHS)
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Drug Pricing Program: HHS Uses Multiple Mechanisms to Help Ensure Compliance with 340B Requirements
Examines the Health Services and Research Administration's (HRSA) oversight of covered entities' compliance with 340B Program requirements. Describes the 340B Program, the HRSA audit process, and findings from audits conducted between 2012-2019. Discusses additional efforts by HRSA to promote compliance and identify noncompliance.
Additional links: Full Report
Date: 12/2020
Sponsoring organization: Government Accountability Office
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PharmD Concentration Helps Pharmacy Students Prepare for a Career in Rural America
Features the Rural Pharmacy Practice program, a concentration for PharmD students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Pharmacy who are interested in working in rural communities. Describes how the program was created. Discusses the experiences students have, including conducting community needs assessments and related population health projects.
Author(s): Allee Mead
Citation: Rural Monitor
Date: 10/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural Health Information Hub
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Rural Variation of Medicaid Expansion on Access to Naloxone
Poster examining the rate of naloxone prescriptions dispensed by retail pharmacies between 2011 and 2017. Compares the rate of naloxone prescriptions before and after Medicaid expansion and as the rural population increased.
Author(s): Yue Cheng, Minji Sohn, Patricia R. Freeman, Eugene Shin, Chris Delcher
Date: 09/2020
Sponsoring organization: Rural and Underserved Health Research Center
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Telepharmacy and Quality of Medication Use in Rural Areas, 2013–2019
Uses dispensing records from traditional pharmacies and telepharmacies in the Midwest to compare patients' adherence to and inappropriate use of prescription medications between 2013 and 2019. Includes data and statistics on medication adherence and use, with information broken down by patient characteristics, such as age, rurality, payer, risk, and more.
Author(s): Shweta Pathak, Mitchell Haynes, Dima Qato, Benjamin Urick
Citation: Preventing Chronic Disease, 17
Date: 09/2020
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Last Updated: 1/27/2025