SALT LAKE CITY — A relatively new Utah law allows pharmacists to prescribe birth control to patients who meet certain qualifications.
One chain of community pharmacies, however, is taking changes in the Pharmacy Practice Act a bit further.
All pharmacists at Harmons Neighborhood Grocer locations are now certified to offer on-the-spot screenings and prescription treatment for five common medical conditions, including cold sores, strep throat, urinary tract infections, yeast infections and self-administered contraceptives.
They've collaborated with a Bountiful family practitioner, who agrees to back the pharmacist's decisions for simple treatments. The agreement comes out of a 2018 provision written into the Pharmacy Practice Act, and Harmons is one of the first local pharmacies to apply it.
"From paperwork to filled prescriptions, the entire process will take less than 30 minutes," according to Greg Jones, Harmons' director of pharmacy. "We are now able to provide the same great care you would receive at a clinic without the wait or cost."
Harmons charges a fee for the screenings, ranging from $19.99 for cold sores, urinary tract and yeast infections, to $39.99 for strep throat tests and birth control, plus the cost of the prescription.
Jones said the on-site care will greatly benefit patients who face issues with access to, and the cost of, health care.
"Community pharmacists are kind of the front line a lot of times of medical care — because we're so accessible," he said. "Our pharmacies are open every day of the year except Christmas and sometimes, when patients can't get in to see their doctor, they're in asking us questions about what to do for their health anyway."
Patients with more severe or serious conditions than the five simple ones they've agreed to treat will be referred to physician, Jones said.
There's a reason for that, said Jessica Alba, pharmacy manager at Harmons' district location in South Jordan. Treatment for cold sores, urinary tract and yeast infections, as well as strep throat, are commonly and frequently used and symptoms are easily diagnosed.
"Patients can often identify the classic symptoms associated with these conditions," she said.
The 18 Harmons pharmacies across the state have been assessing patients with the five common ailments since July 1, and Alba said so far, patients are very appreciative.
"I talk to patients several times a day when I notice they are using one of these prescriptions," she said. "I tell them the next time they need a refill, they don't have to go to the doctor, they can come in and get the screenings and treatments from us and that makes it easier to access the care they need."
The move requires the grocer to increase pharmacist labor hours depending on the location, making sure there is enough expertise to cover patient demand. Not all patients who present with symptoms will qualify for a prescription.
Patients must fill out a questionnaire and submit to a health screening by a pharmacist. Each screening is different, depending on the disease state, Alba said. If the patient meets the qualifications and protocols written by the local underwriting physician, the pharmacist can then issue a prescription to the patient.
"Patients too sick or more complex, are going to be referred to a higher level of care," Alba said.
Most of the qualifying conditions happen to require a one-time or short-term dosage of medication for treatment, though birth control prescriptions are likely needed longer term.
Utah law allows women over the age of 18 to receive a pharmacist prescription for certain types of birth control if they've seen a physician at least once in a 24-month period.
Other pharmacies, including at least 85 Associated Food Stores locations around the state, have also started offering up to 12 months of birth control/hormonal contraceptives to patients, per the new law.