In the state of North Dakota approximately two-thirds of the counties are designated as frontier. With such scare population and limited opportunity to fill prescriptions one can see why ten to fifteen communities in North Dakota were facing the loss of their pharmacy. Seeing this trend and with concern for the citizens they protect, the North Dakota Board of Pharmacy granted a telepharmacy pilot project for the medically underserved communities that lacked pharmacy services or were about to lose those them.
Mercy Family Pharmacies in northeast Iowa developed a successful model of patient care services through the Iowa Pharmaceutical Case Management (PCM) program. Approximately 400 Iowa PCM eligible patients receive care by one of Mercy’s eight pharmacists, and they boast a 95% response rate from physicians on interventions with 85% acceptance. Josh Feldman, manager of Taylor Pharmacy, a Mercy Family Pharmacy, leads the team in participation with PCM and marketing to private pay organizations.
