Residents and their Preceptors
Elizabeth Paolucci
Project Proposal: The role of community pharmacists improving inhaler adherence post education and vaccine recommendations in asthma and COPD patients
Eizabeth Paolucci, PharmD., RPh currently serves as the PGY1 Community Pharmacy Resident at Walgreens/MCPHS University in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Paolucci graduated from the University of Rhode Island, College of Pharmacy.
Poor adherence to inhaler treatment may be associated with suboptimal outcomes and disease exacerbation. Common barriers to inhaler adherence are lack of communication from providers to patients and caregivers, language barrier, cost of inhalers, insurance restrictions, and lack of transportation. Community pharmacists have the ability to implement solutions to resolve these barriers and increase inhaler adherence rates.
Inhaler adherence is critical for the effective management of COPD and asthma and roughly two-thirds of patients do not use their inhalers correctly. Community pharmacists are in a unique position to be at the front lines to spend time with their patients to implement strategies to increase inhaler adherence, provide education regarding proper inhaler technique, and recommend and administer vaccines in accordance with ACIP guidelines.
"I hope that my research study will allow patients to recognize the role of community pharmacists being more than medication dispensers. This project will highlight ways community pharmacists can help patients with asthma and COPD through direct patient care services."