2022 Incentive Grant Recipient: Edwin Shamtob, PharmD
Project Proposal: Completion rates of multi-dose adult and travel vaccine series with close pharmacist follow up in a community setting: A retrospective analysis of administrative data.
Edwin Shamtob, PharmD PGY-1 Community-Based Pharmacy Resident at University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. He is a graduate of Western University of Health Sciences.
“Community pharmacists are one most experienced and well positioned healthcare leaders when it comes to recommending, initiating and helping patients complete lifesaving immunizations. We have the unique power to utilize vaccinations as a proven method to dramatically improve the well-being of our patients’ health and help them live their best lives!”
Studies have shown time and time again that vaccines are dramatically underutilized, particularly among adults. To improve the rate of vaccination among adults, clinicians need to provide more resources and education about the need to improve vaccine completion rates. This challenge has created widespread interest in the roles pharmacists play in creating and implementing measures aimed at improving the completion of routinely recommended vaccines and, ultimately, preventing vaccine-preventable diseases.
"I am beyond thrilled to have been awarded the APhA Foundation Incentive Grant! As valuable members of the health care team, pharmacists are in a prime position to positively impact our nations efforts to increase immunization rates and thereby further protect the patients we care for. This grant will allow me to obtain the resources needed to illustrate the significant role pharmacists play in helping improve vaccination completion rates and ultimately improve health outcomes. I believe we as pharmacists are truly well positioned to aid in improving our systems of care and ensure that every series of a vaccine that is started is finished!"