“Recently, travel to underdeveloped and exotic destination


“Recently, travel to underdeveloped and exotic destinations has increased substantially. International travel is a multi-billion dollar industry exceeding $900 billion US IWR-1 datasheet dollars (600 euros) in 2008. By the year 2020, it is expected

that the number of international travelers will exceed 1 billion, half being for leisure purposes and approximately 15% business related.1Prior to departure for travel, it is widely recommended to consult with a specialist in travel health, as many travelers are unaware of the immunizations and preventative measures that are recommended. Pharmacists are accessible healthcare professionals who have unique opportunities to provide education and administration of immunizations FK228 chemical structure to this population. Over the past two decades, pharmacists have become more involved in the provision of travel medicine services in a variety of settings.2–5 The Clinical Pharmacy

International Travel Clinic (CPITC), established in the early 1990s, is a telepharmacy consultation service run by pharmacists from the Kaiser Permanente Colorado region.2 The team, composed of five clinical pharmacists, a pharmacy technician, and a consulting infectious diseases physician, provide phone consultation for approximately 9500 travel patients every year, following referrals from primary care physicians (PCPs) or customer service associates. As no appointments are required, patients receive their consultation at the time they call the service. The pharmacists provide recommendations regarding travel immunizations, medications, and preventive measures against diseases abroad, and they attain prescriber co-signatures for these orders. It is estimated that the CPITC pharmacists could save $47,000 per year in unnecessary immunizations with this consultation service.3 Community pharmacists have also become involved in travel medicine services, due to their ease of accessibility with many convenient locations, long hours of operation, and the ability to immunize.3,5 One pretravel health program, TravelRx, offered by a supermarket

chain pharmacy in Central Virginia, provides initial phone consultation followed by individualized appointments in a private counseling room within the pharmacy for approximately 1000 patients per year.4Following the patient interview and assessment of travel-related needs, the patient’s Acyl CoA dehydrogenase PCP is contacted to gain authorization for the administration of immunizations and medications; the pharmacist then schedules an appointment for the patient’s travel education and immunizations. Following the patient’s visit, the pharmacist follows up with both the physician (to provide documentation of the patient’s immunizations) and the patient (to complete any additional vaccine series post-travel). Patients expressed a high level of satisfaction with the pharmacist-run program through patient satisfaction surveys, although no outcomes were formally assessed.

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