HJNO Jul/Aug 2022

44 JUL / AUG 2022 I  HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS COLUMN MEDICAID COMMUNITYPHARMACISTS have always donemore than fill prescriptions, they have been addressing the social determinants of health (SDOH) for years, working as vital members of their communities by interact- ing with patients every day. And, given they are seen nearly 12 times more a year than a primary care physician, pharmacists have, perhaps more than anyone else, the great- est ability to establish ongoing trust as well as a substantive rapport with their patients — powerful building blocks in managing care for vulnerable populations. When considering a patient’s healthcare team, emphasis is typically placed on their nurses, their primary care physician, or their specialists. But with almost nine out of ten Americans living within five miles of a pharmacy, and four out of five receiving prescription benefits through a pharmacy benefit manager, the role of the community pharmacist in managing a patient’s care from the front lines, while manifest, is often undervalued or, at the very least, overlooked. FROM THE STOREFRONT TO THE HEALTH PLAN A Prescription for Meaningful Managed Care Pharmacy