For many people in underserved areas of North Carolina, finding accessible, affordable healthcare is a struggle.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina and UNC-Chapel Hill’s Eshelman School of Pharmacy are working to change that. Their collaborative program, “More Than A Script,” allows pharmacists to play a bigger role in patients’ healthcare.
Jasmine Perry Strayhorn is a senior clinical pharmacist at Blue Cross NC and is the point person for the program. From the beginning, she said they wanted to make the program as accessible as possible.
"Across the state, we have urban communities, but we also have rural communities that don't necessarily have access to a primary care physician,” said Perry Strayhorn. “So, community pharmacists are in a position to improve access to care, because at least 90% of Americans live within five miles of a pharmacy."
The program pairs patients with community pharmacists to increase access to care. It specifically serves people with diabetes and hypertension, since these conditions are often managed by medication.
However, pharmacists won’t only contribute medication knowledge. They can offer resources like blood sugar tests, personalized meal plans, and convenient access to prescribed care. Perry Strayhorn also said working with a pharmacist increases outcomes and saves patients money.
UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy’s involvement has largely contributed to the program. The idea came about through conversations at their catalyst events. Perry Strayhorn said the partnership felt natural.
“UNC has done a lot of work specifically around how to implement clinical programs and community pharmacies,” she said. “So, it just made total sense for us to work together with an organization or a university that is already doing the work, but already has aligned goals with us, and then beyond it, they are neutral convener, so they bring us all together with the goal of advancing the health of North Carolinians.”
“More Than A Script” launched in waves throughout the summer, and Blue Cross NC is continuing to advance the program.
"I hope that through More Than A Script, patients realize that pharmacists are your advocates,” said Perry Strayhorn. “They are willing to answer your questions. So there are resources and community pharmacies that can help bridge the gap, so between primary care physician visits, you can talk to a pharmacist if you need to."
“More Than A Script” is free to all eligible Blue Cross NC patients. A list of participating pharmacies can be found on their website.
