b'u From Page 40encounters for tobacco cessation.The efficiency of telemedicine undoubtedly abetted the PACT CPS to expand beyond traditional management.Vaccine DistributionIts not just the PACT team pharmacists who saw an increased role during the pandemic. The importance placedontestingandthedistributionofvaccines meant a much greater weight on VA pharmacists shoulders in general, as well as a brighter spotlight.As a pharmacy service, of course the vaccine has changed our lives, Cephas said. We basically had to set up the whole [vaccine distribution] operation at our facility.Pharmacists would prepare the vac-cine. We also had pharmacists who would be where the vaccine was being distributed to the nurses. Then Ivan Cephas, PharmD, chief of pharmacy at the DCVAMC.there was a lot of running back and forth to get the vaccine to the clinic. One of our clinics was in the Hypertensionmanagementvisitsdecreasedhospital; at another, we had a satellite tent site set up slightly,from9,299in2019to8,669in2020.outside the hospital.However,averagereductionsinsystolicbloodAtthepandemicspeak,pharmacistsatthe pressureremainedunchangedandtheaverageDCVAMCweredistributingupto1,000vaccina-decrease in diastolic blood pressure improved fromtions a day. When President Joe Biden visited the 1.1 mmHg in 2019 to 2mmHg in 2020. facilityinMarch2021,itwasapharmacistwho Whenpharmacist-ledoutpatientCMMclinicsshowedhimtheoperation,demonstratingvaccine transitioned from primarily face-to-face patient carepreparation and administration.toallvirtualcare,theconsistencyandqualityofThere also was the role of pharmacists in the man-care was not compromised, and actually improvedagement of monoclonal antibody treatmentone of in regard to number of patients seen and number ofthe few approved treatments for COVID-19.encounters documented, with a decrease in no showThat involved a national process with very strin-rates, the researchers concluded. gent rules, Cephas explained. So we had a team of The decrease in cancellation was likely due to thepharmacistsourantimicrobialstewardshipphar-relianceontelemedicine.Withpatientsnolongermacists were very involved with that.needing to go to a facility to see the CPS, there wereAnd while the pandemic continues, VA hospitals fewer reasons to miss the appointment. Face-to-facehave reopened and are accepting most patient visits visitsdecreasedfrom56%in2019tojust5%inagain. Which means pharmacists in every area of the 2020, while the amount of telephone visits increasedhospital will be pressed to keep up with new respon-from 32% to 87% of all encounters. Video visits intosibilities while adding in previous ones.patients homes increased from 3% to 7%. Ourstaffhasreallysteppedupinthesetrying This is a significant advancement, as it potentiallytimes, not just to maintain services but to increase indicates that this primarily elderly veteran popula- and enhance our services, Cephas declared. There tion is capable of becoming increasingly comfort- have been a lot of growing pains in doing new things, able with virtual modalities of care, the study noted.but weve thrived.Furthermore, even with a significant increase in the1Thomas AM, Baker JW, Hoffmann TJ, Lamb K. Clinical pharmacy number of unique patients treated and an increase inspecialists providing consistent comprehensive medication manage-number of patient encounters, the quality of care wasment with increased efficiency through telemedicine during the not decreased. In fact, expansion was seen in diseaseCOVID19 pandemic. J Am Coll Clin Pharm. 2021 Aug;4(8):934-938. doi: 10.1002/jac5.1494. Epub 2021 Jul 11. PMID: 34518814; PMCID: state management with a greater than 400% rise inPMC8426730.42'