Stronger together: A community case study highlighting the benefits of pharmacy and community collaborations

Background The pandemic exposed weaknesses in existing social and health care infrastructures, disproportionately affecting health outcomes, particularly within rural communities. Addressing these challenges within rural settings requires innovative interventions. Objective This study seeks to evaluate the role of an interagency network in increasing vaccine uptake in rural settings. Methods Health in the Heartland COVID-19 Response Network (the Network), a partnership of community-based clinical and social service organizations, including community pharmacists, community health workers, and academic researchers, implemented outreach activities which targeted factors related to access to and acceptance of coronavirus disease-2019 vaccines at the individual, interpersonal, community, and environmental levels. Qualitative methods, including in-depth interviews and content analysis of transcripts from planning and networking meetings, were subjected to narrative analysis to document the effectiveness of this multicomponent intervention. Data regarding outreach events and vaccine uptake was tracked using online tools (Qualtrics). Results Through different outreach efforts, the Network was able to achieve 84,206 educational touchpoints and administer 14,769 vaccines to individuals in the 16-county project area in southeastern Missouri. Leveraging the influence of community pharmacists and community health workers was found to be effective in overcoming barriers to access, improving vaccine uptake, and addressing social and health inequities. Facilitators for the partnership and the success of its initiatives included trust, capacity building, and enhancing access, while poor communication, and unclear role definition created barriers. Conclusion Study highlights the benefits of community health workers and community pharmacists working collaboratively to increase vaccine uptake in rural Missouri. Findings provide support for expanding this model for future health initiatives.