CPCO’s mission is to provide affordable and effective medication and pharmacy services and to coordinate access to health care for our most vulnerable neighbors.  CPCO aims to be a Local Solution to a National Crisis in prescription medication access. It’s goals are to decrease the number of people going without necessary prescription medications, reduce unnecessary hospitalizations, and provide educational support for patients to learn about health and wellness. In addition to providing medication at no cost to patients, CPCO also provides extensive pharmacy services including medication therapy management, disease state, management including diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Patients meet in a private consultation area with a pharmacist or a senior pharmacy student each time they visit the pharmacy.

CPCO has been recognized nationally by the Pharmacy Quality Alliance and Community Pharmacy Foundation with the inaugural award for Innovations in Community-based practice with positive patient outomes. Locally, Columbus CEO named CPCO a 2019 HealthCare Trailblazer.

The pharmacy is funded by both private and public entities. All four major health systems in central Ohio, the city of Columbus, Franklin County, and many organizations and individuals sponsor the activities at CPCO. The pharmacy acquires medications through various methods including its drug repository program, bulk replenishment programs with pharmaceutical companies, and the purchase of medications.  A contracted director of development works with the pharmacy staff to continue to seek funding for growth.

The PGY1 community care resident participates in all aspects of clinical services at CPCO. In addition to teaching and research opportunities coordinated through the university, residents perform medication therapy management, assist in precepting five APPE pharmacy students each month, and strive to provide excellent care for patients as they navigate the health system. CPCO offers an abundance of opportunities for the year-long research project, quality improvement project and new service project. All team members also seek to increase community awareness about CPCO services to ultimately expand and improve care for our patients.

Site Coordinator– Ronni D’Agostino, PharmD

Equitas Health Medical Center

Equitas Health Medical Centers strive to be the gateway to good health for those at risk of or affected by HIV, for the LGBTQ community, and for those seeking a welcoming healthcare home. In addition to routine primary care, we specialize in HIV/AIDS specialty care, PrEP, trans health, women’s health, STI screenings and treatment, and management of chronic conditions. All of our Medical Centers provide psychiatric care and behavioral health therapy. Equitas Health Pharmacies, located at each Medical Center, partner with our medical providers to offer complete specialized care. As Federally Qualified Health Center “look-alikes,” we offer services on a sliding fee scale for patients who do not have adequate insurance coverage.

Equitas Health strives to provide culturally competent care and has been recognized throughout Ohio as a leader in innovation and equity.

Equitas Health pharmacists participate on both the community and medical side of pharmacy practice. The resident will have the opportunity to work alongside AAHIVP certified pharmacists and other medical providers, such as doctors and certified nurse practitioners. Current Equitas Health Pharmacy services include medication therapy management, immunizations, chronic disease state management, collaborative practice agreements, and a patient management program offered to our specialty patients. Residents will also participate in dispensing naloxone at Safe Point (one of the largest needle exchange programs in Ohio). For a rounded experience, Equitas Health residents will engage with all aspects of the organization from administrative to case management.

Site Coordinator – Jacquelyn Risner-Kissel, PharmD, RPh

The pharmacy’s mission is to provide patients with personal healthcare by learning patients’ names, helping them understand their medications, and having pharmacists accessible to answer questions or make recommendations. Being able to provide that traditional “hometown pharmacy” atmosphere, while supplying the most advanced products, services and information available has been a source of pride. Uptown Pharmacy has been active in providing pharmacist driven patient care services to a wide variety of patient populations

Uptown Pharmacy was the first pharmacy in Ohio to provide immunizations, and has been very involved with the Ohio Pharmacists Association and its legislators to advance the immunizations pharmacists are able to provide in Ohio. It was also one of the original pharmacies involved in the APhA Foundation Project Impact: Hyperlipidemia.

Our pharmacists have been at the forefront, as community pharmacy has changed to meet the demands of the future. Today, as a result, Uptown offers blood pressure screenings, cholesterol screenings, anticoagulation management, adult immunizations, comprehensive medication therapy management consultations (MTM’s), disease-state education, custom prescription compounding and flavoring, medical device training and hormone replacement therapy management. The pharmacy serves as a rotation site for 4th year pharmacy students from The Ohio State University, Ohio Northern University, and the University of Cincinnati.

Residents are a part of our pharmacy care team and therefore responsible for involvement in all pharmacy care activities as well as prescription dispensing. Residents also develop skills in business administration, practice management, marketing and student precepting. In addition, residents have the opportunity to participate in ongoing projects and assist with the development of new clinical services within the pharmacy and Westerville community.

Site Coordinator – Cara Hoyt, PharmD