The University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Pharmacy has partnered with AdhereHealth, a leading medication adherence technology company, to help keep underserved communities healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Student pharmacists are participating in a virtual experience aimed at providing outreach to low-income, elderly, disabled, and high-risk patients with chronic conditions who may be in need of additional support during the outbreak. The Doctor of Pharmacy students deliver virtual assessments to discuss social and economic challenges and offering guidance to patients remotely in an effort to connect them with the resources they need to access health and drug treatments and remain healthy.

Dr. Kenneth Hohmeier, associate professor and director of Community Affairs for the College of Pharmacy, said data shows that those who are suffering the most from COVID-19 in terms of death and morbidity are those in underserved communities.

"Our goal is to create better awareness of the virus and how to stop the spread, while also making sure that chronic conditions are well-controlled through the use of medications, which we know can help improve outcomes and reduce the risk of hospitalization during the outbreak," Hohmeier said.

Jason Z. Rose, CEO of AdhereHealth, said only about half of patients with chronic conditions take their medication as directed, even under normal circumstances. With changes such as quarantines, social distancing, and increased unemployment, nonadherence is likely to get far worse.

"Pharmacists play a critical role in helping to address the crisis, which will in turn save lives - even after the pandemic ends," Rose said. "We're thrilled to support UTHSC College of Pharmacy and get more pharmacists out into the field as quickly as possible."

"This is an amazing opportunity for our students," said Dr. Marie A. Chisholm-Burns, dean at the College of Pharmacy, "and I am proud of their dedication to serving those in underserved communities."