Collaboration between CareSource and Albany Area Primary Health Care Leads to Improved Patient Care

Dr. Amanda Roberts, CareSource Pharmacy Resident, spends two days each month volunteering at Albany Area Primary Health Care (AAPHC) to focus on improving patient care.  AAPHC is a community health center serving Southwest Georgia. They provide primary care services as well as internal and family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, podiatry, general dentistry, vision care, behavioral health, school-based health centers, and pharmacy services to the Albany community. Visit www.aaphc.org to learn more.

Since 2015, the CareSource Pharmacy Residency Program has partnered with clinics that  help underserved populations. This is the second year a CareSource pharmacy resident has volunteered at AAPHC. The work the pharmacy resident does at AAPHC can range from designing a medication adherence program to optimizing patients' medication regimens.

“The collaboration between CareSource and AAPHC has been beneficial because it has provided additional resources to improve health outcomes in our underserved patient population.  We are very grateful for this opportunity and look forward to continuing this partnership in the future," said Tracey Howell, Pharmacist at AAPHC.

CareSource's pharmacy residency program gives new and experienced pharmacists the opportunity to increase their knowledge-base in various areas of managed care.  The residents are able to contribute to the success of the pharmacy team throughout their program year. Sixteen residents have graduated from the program since its inception. 

“The CareSource mission is the heartbeat of our company which is making a lasting difference in members’ lives by improving their health and well-being. Our pharmacy residents demonstrate our mission every time they interact and have a positive impact on the health of our Georgia Medicaid members,” said Dr. Turkesia Robertson-Jones, Associate Vice President of Pharmacy, Southeast Region.

In addition to their work at the health center and supporting the pharmacy team at CareSource, the pharmacy residents are required to complete a teaching certificate and a research project. Amanda's research project will study the socioeconomic factors that cause patients to be non-adherent to their medications.

"We are grateful for the partnership with AAPHC. Not only does it help improve the care of patients, but it also provides our pharmacy resident, Amanda, with first-hand experience on how to develop and implement effective clinical programs. She can bring that knowledge back to CareSource and we can benefit even more patients," said Shannon Steele, Manager Pharmacy Community Programs, Residency Program Director, and Pharmacist.