Community pharmacies helping connect people to social services
Community Pharmacies as Social Determinant of Health Navigators
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
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 1600 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | State University of New York at Buffalo Academic / other |
| Locations | 5 sites (Buffalo, New York and 4 other locations) |
| Trial ID | NCT07278401 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
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.
Who should consider this trial
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.
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.
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 performed: 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.
Eligibility criteria
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 this trial is running
Buffalo, New York and 4 other locations
- 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
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.