Community pharmacies helping connect people to social services
Official title: Community Pharmacies as Social Determinant of Health Navigators
Run by State University of New York at Buffalo · NCT07278401 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will see if placing community health workers in participating community pharmacies can help adults in under-resourced areas of Western New York get screened for social needs and connected to local services.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 1600 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | State University of New York at Buffalo Academic / other |
| Locations | 5 sites (Buffalo, New York and 4 other locations) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | October 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | March 2027 |
| Study ends | May 2027 |
| Registry record updated | October 28, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07278401 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18 or older who speak English and present to one of the participating CPESN-NY or Tops-affiliated pharmacies in Erie County are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
People under 18, non-English speakers, or individuals who do not visit the participating pharmacies (or who already have established social-service navigation) are unlikely to receive benefit from this program.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation program using a quasi-experimental difference-in-difference design to deliver social needs screening and navigation in community pharmacies. Community Health Workers (CHWs) will be integrated into participating CPESN-NY and Tops-affiliated pharmacies in Erie County to perform standardized social determinant of health (SDoH) screenings and make referrals. The project pairs implementation activities (training, workflow integration, and data sharing through Healthelink and partners like Wellconnected) with measurement of patient-level linkage and service outcomes. Outcomes will be compared over time between pharmacies implementing the program and control/comparison sites to estimate impact and implementation metrics.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could have unmet social needs identified more quickly and be connected to community services more reliably, which may improve health and reduce barriers to care.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows CHW-led SDoH screening and navigation can improve connections to services, but embedding CHWs within community pharmacies in this regional, quasi-experimental design is a relatively new approach.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Adult subjects ≥ 18 years * English speaking * Presenting to one of the participating pharmacies. For the pharmacies to be included, they must be enrolled within the Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network - NY (CPESN-NY) or associated with Tops Pharmacies. The pharmacies must have the ability to collaborate with Healthelink and referring partners (e.g., Wellconnected) and the staffing capacity to have a SDoH screening program with Community Health Worker Training. The pharmacies' physical address must be located within Erie County Exclusion Criteria: * Subjects ≤ 18 years
Where it's running
-
Black Rock Pharmacy
Buffalo, New York, United States Recruiting -
Vital Pharmacy
Buffalo, New York, United States Recruiting -
Riverview Professional Pharmacy
Buffalo, New York, United States Recruiting -
Middleport Family Health Center
Middleport, New York, United States Recruiting -
Niagara Apothecary
Niagara Falls, New York, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: David Jacobs
- Email: dmjacobs@buffalo.edu
- Phone: 716-829-2134
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.