Conducting Screenings and Determining Primary Healthcare Provider Follow-Up for Heart, Muscle, and Brain Health in Older Adults at a Community Pharmacy: An Implementation-Oriented Pilot Study

Background: Frequently visited community pharmacies can serve as sites for additional healthcare, including screenings for unknown conditions. Our implementation-oriented pilot study sought to evaluate the proportions of older adults that followed-up with their primary healthcare provider about a positive cardiac arrhythmia, weakness, or cognitive impairment screening performed in a community pharmacy. Methods: A cross-sectional design was used and screenings occurred at a well-visited community pharmacy inside a clinic. Possible cardiac arrhythmias were identified with a mobile electrocardiogram. Weakness status was examined with a hydraulic handgrip dynamometer. A paper-and-pencil based cognitive assessment determined cognitive impairment status. Participants screening positive were advised to visit their healthcare provider, and follow-up for determining if such visits occurred was performed approximately 3-months later. Results: Of the 106 participants, 51 were referred to their healthcare provider for any positive screening. At follow-up, 12 (23.5%) participants reported visiting their primary healthcare provider about the positive screening performed at the community pharmacy. Conclusions: Our implementation-oriented pilot study showed promise for kindling healthcare provider follow-up regarding positive screenings performed at a community pharmacy. Conducting such screenings may reengage patients with their primary healthcare providers when appropriate, and support the identification of unknown conditions.