State health departments leverage pharmacy partnerships across the nation to advance diabetes care initiatives.

BACKGROUND: In 2018, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)'s Division of Diabetes Translation (DDT) initiated a five-year cooperative agreement funding opportunity with departments of health in every state and the District of Columbia. The funded recipients pursued activities that strengthened diabetes management and type 2 diabetes prevention interventions within their jurisdictions. An option to involve the pharmacy sector in their diabetes-related interventions was available.

OBJECTIVES: This research aims to understand who public health departments partnered with in the pharmacy sector and identify the types of activities pursued together to expand access to diabetes-related interventions.

METHODS: A review of annual work plans and progress reports submitted to CDC by recipients during the first four years of the funding cycle was conducted. Descriptions of work conducted in partnership with pharmacies, pharmacists, or pharmacy organizations were flagged for review, coding, and analysis.

RESULTS: Of the 51 public health department recipients, 48 collaborated with pharmacy partners within their jurisdictions. Activities were developed and carried out in ways that utilized the pharmacy workforce to support public health diabetes initiatives, such as the development and delivery of diabetes self-management education and support and type 2 diabetes prevention programs in pharmacies (68.8%), delivery of diabetes-related training for the pharmacy workforce (91.7%), and support of billing and sustainability efforts for pharmacy-based diabetes services (52.1%).

CONCLUSION: State public health department diabetes program personnel cultivated productive relationships with a variety of members of the pharmacy workforce. Through these partnerships, they leveraged one another's resources, expertise, and mutual determination to prepare and carry out diabetes-related interventions within their states. This document provides pharmacists and pharmacy decision-makers with foundational knowledge that can lead to increased engagement with public health partners to expand diabetes management and prevention services in pharmacy settings.