Abstract

Objective : To characterize the experiences and feasibility of offering pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing in a community pharmacy setting.

Design: Pharmacists were invited to complete a survey about PGx testing for each patient who was offered testing. If the patient consented, pharmacists were also asked to complete a follow-up survey about the process of returning PGx testing results to patients and follow-up with the prescribing provider.

Setting: Community pharmacies in North Carolina from August through November 2014.

Participants: Pharmacists at five community pharmacies.

Main outcome measures: Patient consent for testing, time to introduce PGx testing initially and communicate results, interpretation of test results, and recommended medication changes.

Results : Of the 69 patients offered testing, 56 (81%) consented. Pre-test counseling typically lasted 1–5 minutes (81%), and most patients (55%) did not have any questions about the testing. Most pharmacists reported test results to patients by phone (84%), with discussions taking less than 1 minute (48%) or 1–5 minutes (52%). Most pharmacists believed the patients understood their results either very well (54%) or somewhat well (41%). Pharmacists correctly interpreted 47 of the 53 test results (89%). All of the incorrect interpretations were for patients with test results indicating a dosing or drug change (6/19; 32%). Pharmacists reported contacting the ordering physician for four patients to discuss results indicating a dosage or drug change.