People living with HIV (PLWH) often experience comorbid mental health conditions which may adversely affect their ability to engage in care and maintain viral suppression. Other highly stigmatized populations (LGBTQ+, hepatitis C, and pre-exposure prophylaxis patients) face similar challenges. Collaborative care interventions, including pharmacists as part of the team, have proven effective in improving patient outcomes. As pharmacotherapeutic experts, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to identify drug-related problems and implement or recommend interventions.
This poster describes a pilot program to evaluate the impact of pharmacist intervention in a specialty population, including PLWH, transgender and gender-diverse people, LGBTQ+ individuals, patients with hepatitis C, and pre-exposure prophylaxis patients. The pharmacist will identify drug-related problems and provide recommendations to the care team for clinic patients referred to a behavioral health medication management program under the care of a psychiatrist. This program will help identify further areas of intervention to address the syndemic within this specialty population at high risk for stigma and behavioral health diagnoses.