2022 Incentive Grant Recipient: Mackenzie Currie, PharmD, MHIT
Project Proposal: Patient and Pharmacist Perceptions of Cognitive Screening Services and their Implementation into an Independent Community Pharmacy
Mackenzie Currie, PharmD, MHIT, currently serves as the PGY1 Community-Based Pharmacy Resident at Hawthorne Pharmacy in Columbia, South Carolina. She is a graduate of University of South Carolina College of Pharmacy.
"I couldn’t be more excited to receive this grant for my research so that I can start my own cognitive screening service at my independent pharmacy. An estimated 350,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with early-onset dementia, and the monetary and emotional cost of illness is profound. I am hopeful that we can refer patients if needed for early treatment and prevention so they are able to continue being a present family member and friend for as long as possible."
Mackenzie has a strong passion for geriatrics, and many of her patients are over the age of 65. Being able to offer them a quick 10-minute cognitive screener can help them connect with a primary care physician for early, preventative treatment of dementia if necessary. Time is so important with dementia, and early prevention and treatment will help them get some of that back.
"I am most excited about analyzing my data after I get my surveys back. I am eager to see what patients and pharmacists consider to be barriers to this service from both perspectives so that I can create my service in a way that breaks some of those barriers."