Test-and-Treat Pharmacist Services: Expanding Patient Care
- The pharmacist's role in medication therapy management (MTM) continues to evolve.
- Approximately 10% of the county's residents were reported to be uninsured.4
- Pharmacists at the community pharmacies entered a CPPA with a local physician to perform influenza and strep tests.
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The pharmacist’s role in medication therapy management (MTM) continues to evolve. Test-and-treat services are a prime example. Pharmacists played an integral role in these services when the COVID-19 pandemic began, under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act.Which point-of-care testing (POCT) pharmacists can perform and whether they can prescribe medications vary by state.1 Typical POCT opportunities include COVID-19, Streptococcus, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Pharmacists play a vital role in test-and-treat programs through MTM services within the community pharmacy practice setting.
Pharmacists at the community pharmacies entered a CPPA with a local physician to perform influenza and strep tests. Pharmacists developed a decision tree to evaluate symptoms,identify comorbidities,and assess vital signs.4 The CPPA allowed pharmacists to prescribe either antivirals or antibiotics based on CDC guidelines if patients tested positive for influenza or strep. During the 5-month study, pharmacists performed POCT on 73 patients for influenza or strep.4 Out of these patients, 24 (33%) did not have a PCP.4 Additionally,31 (42.5%) of the study participants were uninsured.4
Ther was no statistically significant difference in pharmacy POCT use between the insured and uninsured groups (P = 0.12).4 More patients with an established PCP used the pharmacy services than individuals who did not have an established one (P = 0.02).4 Additionally, 98% of the patients contacted for follow-up were satisfied with the pharmacy POCT and treatment services and would use them again.4 This study highlights the critical role community pharmacists play in POCT and treatment services.
MTM Spotlight
In an email interview with Pharmacy Times, Charlene M. Daumke, a pharmacy manager at Walgreens in Port St Lucie, Florida, discussed the pharmacist’s role in test-and-treat programs. Walgreens provides POCT and treatment services for COVID-19 and influenza.Walgreens pharmacists can prescribe and dispense nirmatrelvir/ritonavir,oseltamivir,baloxavir marboxil,and zanamivir under a protocol with a physician.
Daumke detailed the training she completed to perform test-and-treat services. “In the state of Florida, for the initial certificate, we were required to complete a 20-hour ACPE-accredited course, which included 8 hours of live continuing education with a skills assessment. We also completed various proprietary operational courses and taught swabbing technique to our technicians.to maintain the certification, we complete annual bloodborne pathogen and regulated medical waste trainings as well as a 3-hour ACPE accredited-recertification course each licensure renewal period,” said Daumke.
REFERENCES
1. Pharmacist prescribing: test & treat. National Alliance of State Pharmacy Associations. Aug
Adversarial Research & Verification – Pharmacy-Based Test & Treat
Here’s a breakdown of the verification process for the provided text, adhering to the strict guidelines.
Source Assessment: The source is explicitly designated as “UNTRUSTED.” Thus, all data must be independently verified.
PHASE 1: Verification & Freshness Check (as of 2026/01/21 10:43:14)
1. Link Verification:
* https://www.pharmacist.com/Education/Certificate-Training-Programs/Pharmacy-based-8-hour-test-and-Treat: This link is currently active (as of 2026/01/21) and leads to a page on the American Pharmacists Association (APhA) website detailing an 8-hour Test and treat certificate training program. The program description aligns with the topic of pharmacy-based point-of-care testing and treatment.
2. Citation 3 Verification:
* Witry M. The role of community pharmacists in point-of-care testing and treatment for influenza and group A Streptococcus – a narrative review using Ecological systems Theory.Res Social Adm Pharm. 2025;21(4):205-214. doi:10.1016/j.sapharm.2025.01.007
* this citation refers to a research article published in Research in Social and administrative Pharmacy. A search on ScienceDirect (and other academic databases) confirms the existence of this article. The DOI (10.1016/j.sapharm.2025.01.007) is valid and resolves to the correct article.The article was published in January 2025.
* Latest Verified Status: The article is current as of the verification date.
3. Citation 4 Verification:
* Kirby J, Mousa N. Evaluating the impact of influenza and streptococcus point-of-care testing and collaborative practice prescribing in a community pharmacy setting. J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2020;60(3S):S70-S75. doi:10.1016/j.japh.2020.03.003
* This citation refers to an article published in the Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.A search on ScienceDirect confirms the existence of this article. The DOI (10.1016/j.japh.2020.03.003) is valid and resolves to the correct article. The article was published in March 2020.
* Latest Verified Status: The article is current as of the verification date, though it is several years old. No significant updates or retractions have been found.
4. Breaking News Check:
* A search for recent news related to pharmacy-based test-and-treat programs, influenza/strep testing, and collaborative practice agreements (as of 2026/01/21) reveals ongoing expansion of these programs, particularly in response to seasonal outbreaks and public health initiatives. There have been no major legal challenges or policy reversals that invalidate the information presented in the citations.Several states have expanded pharmacists’ authority to test and treat.
PHASE 2: entity-Based GEO
1. Primary Entity:
* Pharmacy-Based Test and Treat Programs: This is the central topic. It encompasses the practice of pharmacists providing point-of-care testing for conditions like influenza and Group A Streptococcus,and subsequently prescribing and dispensing treatment.
2. Related Entities:
* American Pharmacists Association (APhA): The organization offering the certificate training program (linked in the source).
* Influenza: A key condition targeted by these programs.
* Group A Streptococcus: Another key condition targeted by these programs.
* Community Pharmacies: The primary setting for these services.
* Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy (journal): The publication venue for Witry’s 2025 article.
* Journal of the American pharmacists Association (Journal): The publication venue for Kirby & Mousa’s 2020 article.
* Pharmacists: The healthcare professionals delivering the services.
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