2024 Incentive Grant Recipient: Jacob Zanolla, PharmD
Project Proposal: Exploring Patient Perceptions of Pharmacist-Provided Tobacco Cessation Services at a Federally Qualified Health Center
Jacob Zanolla is a Pharmacy Resident with HealthLinc, Inc. in Valparaiso, IN. He graduated from Purdue University College of Pharmacy.
“Since New Mexico authorized pharmacists to prescribe tobacco cessation medications in 2004, tobacco cessation services provided by pharmacists have continued to expand. Through legislative advances, 17 states have now enacted laws that authorize pharmacists’ prescriptive authority for tobacco cessation medications; however, patient perceptions of these services, especially those provided within federally qualified health centers, have not been thoroughly evaluated. This study will apply qualitative methods to (a) assess patient perspectives of pharmacist-provided tobacco cessation services, expanding upon previous findings, and (b) inform the refinement of a newly developed tobacco cessation service that is being provided to an underserved patient population.”
"Over the past few years, several HealthLinc residents have conducted research studies surrounding pharmacist-provided tobacco cessation services to help further the development of our newly implemented pharmacist-led tobacco cessation service, as well as pharmacist-provided tobacco cessation services as a whole. My motivation behind this proposal was to go directly to the source – our patients – to capture their perspectives on what makes the care we provide useful. I hope that this project not only informs the development of our program at HealthLinc, but also informs how pharmacists within federally qualified health centers can tailor our services to best meet the needs of our patients."
"It is a tremendous honor to receive an Incentive Grant, and I am very excited to use the funds I receive to conduct a research project that will help to inform the advancement of pharmacist-provided tobacco cessation services within federally qualified health centers. I am thrilled that I get to work with a team that has contributed to the research on pharmacist-provided tobacco cessation services since its inception and look forward to using the results of our study to enhance pharmacists’ ability to provide tobacco cessation care to all patients, regardless of their social determinants of health!"