How Creighton pharmacists help bridge rural healthcare gaps
In Bedford, Iowa, a town of about 1,300 people near the Missouri border, getting an appointment with a healthcare provider isn’t always as simple as making a phone call.
Like many rural communities across the country, Bedford faces limited access to primary care. For residents with a urinary tract infection, questions about managing diabetes or concerns about a new prescription, one of the most accessible healthcare professionals may be their community pharmacist.
For Michael Schweitzer, BSPharm’89, owner of Bedford Drug and a Creighton University graduate, that’s exactly how pharmacy practice has evolved.
“Iowa pharmacists are now regulated under a standard of care model where pharmacists can practice to the full extent of their education and training,” Schweitzer says. “We can diagnose disease states, prescribe medications, order laboratory tests and other medical diagnostics in areas where we can demonstrate competence.”
That expanded authority has allowed Schweitzer and his team to provide chronic disease management, point-of-care testing for conditions such as urinary tract and upper respiratory infections and other clinical services that help patients receive timely care close to home.
For Schweitzer, the changes represent something larger than an expanded list of services. They reflect a shift in how pharmacists think about their role.
“Psychologically, we have had to retrain ourselves to consider what we are trained to do in our practice,” he says. “While the previous laws prevented us from doing many things that we were trained to do, the new laws open the door for us to provide even more services.”
Rural pharmacists are expanding access to healthcare
As healthcare systems nationwide continue to face physician shortages, particularly in rural areas, pharmacists are increasingly stepping into expanded clinical roles. Schweitzer believes community pharmacists are uniquely positioned to improve access because they are often the healthcare professional patients see most frequently.
“Current and prospective pharmacy students should understand the impact they can have as a clinical pharmacist in the community setting,” he says. “Our level of training has always been in excess of the skills we’ve been allowed to perform. In rural pharmacy practice, we are the most accessible medical clinicians and can make immediate and lasting impacts on our patients and communities.”
One immediate benefit has been pharmacists’ ability to resolve medication issues without unnecessary delays.
“We are able to correct and adjust obvious issues with new prescriptions,” Schweitzer says. “This saves time for the patients, providers and pharmacy staff.”
Successfully expanding clinical care, however, has required more than new authority. Bedford Drug redesigned workflows, strengthened documentation practices and aligned many of its clinical procedures with those used in physician practices. Schweitzer says close collaboration with local physicians has been essential.
“Our local medical practitioners have been very accepting of the changes,” he says. “We are better able to support their practices, take away some of the excess patient load and provide a quality level of care that they can count on.”
Creighton prepares PharmD students for expanded pharmacy practice
As community pharmacy continues to evolve, Creighton University’s School of Pharmacy and Health Professions is preparing students to enter a profession where pharmacists play an increasingly active role on the healthcare team.
Shelby Jensen, PharmD, assistant professor, says students develop leadership, patient advocacy, innovation and self-awareness throughout Creighton’s Professional Development curriculum. Those experiences, combined with the University’s Jesuit value of cura personalis—care for the whole person—and the profession’s commitment to “do no harm,” help graduates navigate an ever-changing healthcare landscape.
“We teach students that sometimes advocating for the patient’s best interest involves not deferring to a prescriber’s final orders, but having open, professional dialogue about the risks and benefits of a treatment plan,” Jensen says. “Pharmacists are the medication experts on the healthcare team and bring unique perspective about medication safety and efficacy to improve the quality of a patient's care.”
Creighton’s PharmD curriculum also includes a semester-long Patient Assessment course and extensive hands-on skills laboratory experiences that prepare graduates to provide patient care from their first day in practice.
“All students who graduate with a Creighton PharmD must be both team-ready and practice-ready, able to impact patient care as the medication expert on the healthcare team from day one,” Jensen states.
She emphasizes that expanding pharmacists’ clinical responsibilities is not about replacing physicians or other healthcare professionals: “The goal isn’t to isolate pharmacists from other members of the patient’s healthcare team, but to improve access to quality, interprofessional healthcare — cura personalis at its finest.”
The future of pharmacy is increasingly patient centered
As healthcare needs continue to grow, pharmacists are poised to play an even greater role in delivering accessible, patient-centered care. Creighton is preparing graduates not only to meet those changing demands but to help shape the future of the profession.
Schweitzer hopes current and future pharmacy students recognize the opportunity before them.
“Current and prospective pharmacy students should understand the impact they can have as a clinical pharmacist in the community setting,” he says. “Our level of training has always been in excess of the skills we’ve been allowed to perform.”
He continues: “In independently owned community pharmacy, pharmacists can define their own practice offerings and use the skills obtained through their education and experiential training. This is especially true in rural pharmacy practice where we are the most accessible medical clinicians and can make immediate and lasting impacts on our patients and communities.”
Ready to make a difference in patient care? Creighton University’s School of Pharmacy and Health Professions prepares future pharmacists to lead with clinical excellence, compassion and a commitment to improving healthcare access in every community.
