2023 Incentive Grant Recipient: Christen Wilhight, PharmD
Project Proposal: Community Pharmacy-distributed Self-Monitoring Tools for Patients with Diabetes
Christen L. Wilhight, PharmD currently serves as the PGY1 Community-based Pharmacy Resident at Walgreens/UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Program in Chapel Hill, NC.
The motivation behind her project proposal was to show that community pharmacies have the ability to show more in-depth care to chronic disease state management, as well as motivate patients to be more curious about their health. As one of the most accessible points of care in the healthcare system, community pharmacies are well positioned to distribute self-monitoring tools. Community pharmacists serve as a great touch point to improve the utilization of self-monitoring tools, boost patient engagement in their own care, and enhance patient-provider communication. Walgreens has the ability to pilot and introduce various healthcare services and show how the distribution of self-monitoring tools can positively impact a patient’s treatment goals, behaviors and activities, patient-provider communication, and patient empowerment.
Christen incorporated her gift for creating promotional aides/marketing material with her interest in chronic disease state management as the foundation for this project. She designed the self-monitoring tool herself and named it the “Walgreens Happy & Healthy Toolkit.”
“I am honored to receive an Incentive Grant this year and I am excited for the opportunity to showcase my passion for creating promotional aides with my interest in chronic disease state management. I am eager to explore this topic and show that pharmacists are capable of doing so much more in the community setting, as we are first line healthcare providers for our patients.”