Administration of vaccines and injectable medications beyond 9 to 5: A cross-sectional analysis of over 1.2 million injection appointments scheduled at Canadian community pharmacies.

BACKGROUND

Community pharmacies are highly accessed for vaccination and other injection services. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated changes in work practices and in health care delivery, influencing patient preferences for timely and convenient care.

OBJECTIVE

This research examines patient-level and organizational factors associated with the administration of injections at Canadian community pharmacies during hours where other primary care providers may not be available.

METHODS

A cross-sectional retrospective analysis of appointments for injection services (vaccines and injectable medications) at community pharmacies through software from MedEssist or MedMe Health from January to December 2023 was performed. Appointments outside the hours of 9 AM to 5 PM on weekdays, on weekends, or on federal or statutory holidays were considered to fall during "off-clinic" hours when other health care settings where injections are provided may not be available. A multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify patient, pharmacy, community, or product factors associated with scheduling appointments during "off-clinic" hours.

RESULTS

Of 1,226,903 appointments scheduled, 27.0% were during off-clinic hours, ranging from 9.1% among banner or independent pharmacies to 34.0% among chain pharmacies. Scheduling of appointments during "off-clinic" hours was positively associated with younger age (OR 1.74, 95%CI 1.69, 1.79 for age <18 years vs. 18-49) and male gender (OR 1.05, 95%CI 1.03, 1.07 vs. female) and negatively associated with rural pharmacy location (OR 0.77, 95%CI 0.75, 0.80).

CONCLUSION

Community pharmacies often provide care over extended hours, offering convenience and accessibility that can support vaccine uptake and injectable medication adherence. Younger patient age, male gender, and urban pharmacy location are associated with greater use of appointments outside of typical business hours.