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Rural Pharmacies Identify Thousands of Patients at Risk of Stroke, Heart Disease, Pilot Program Finds
Program yields evidence supporting $14.1 million in savings by keeping patients out of the hospital ALEXANDRIA, VA / ACCESS Newswire / September 3, 2026 / Originally published on NCPA.orgA trailblazing new program using rural pharmacies to identify …
Program yields evidence supporting $14.1 million in savings by keeping patients out of the hospital
ALEXANDRIA, VA / ACCESS Newswire / September 3, 2026 / Originally published on NCPA.org
A trailblazing new program using rural pharmacies to identify and screen patients at risk of stroke and heart disease may have saved hundreds of lives, improved outcomes for thousands of patients, and saved millions of dollars by preventing hospitalization.
The pilot program is a collaboration between the National Community Pharmacists Association's (NCPA) Innovation Center, CPESN Community Health, and Bristol Myers Squibb and underscores the importance of patient access to local pharmacies. Data from the first phase was collected over six months from 25 pharmacies in six states (Alabama, Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri) known as the "Stroke Belt" because of its high prevalence of cardiovascular disease.
"In this part of the country, like most of rural America, independent community pharmacies are often the only accessible health care providers," said NCPA CEO B. Douglas Hoey. "Many people in these areas may not have ready access to a doctor, but they frequently visit their local pharmacy. So, the local pharmacist is in a good position to identify at-risk patients, provide screening and counseling, connect patients with social services, and refer them to physicians for medical care so they can maintain or even improve their quality of life."
"Community pharmacists practicing in underserved areas understand, perhaps better than most, that health care needs to move into neighborhoods and living rooms to be effective. We have to reach people where they live," said Jessica Hung, PharmD, of Semmes Pharmacy in Semmes, Ala., a CPESN Community Health pharmacy. "Training our staff as community health workers only amplifies the impact community pharmacies have on health-related social needs on a daily basis."
"Too many people living in rural communities face barriers to timely cardiovascular care," said Andrew Whitehead, vice president and head of population health at Bristol Myers Squibb. "These findings reinforce the important role community pharmacies can play as accessible, trusted health care hubs - supporting earlier identification of risk, connecting patients to resources, and helping address care gaps. We look forward to building on these learnings to advance more equitable access to care."
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