A recent Pharmacy Times Medcast conversation featuring pharmacists Adam James, PharmD, and Ashly McPhillips, PharmD, explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way patients access healthcare—and the increasingly important role pharmacists and at-home testing can play in helping patients take action sooner.
During the pandemic, limited access to physicians led many patients to turn to their local pharmacists as accessible and trusted healthcare resources. That shift has continued beyond COVID-19, with pharmacists increasingly supporting patients through health questions, preventive care, testing and guidance on appropriate next steps. The discussion highlights how self-testing can help remove barriers to care, including difficulty scheduling appointments, transportation challenges and hesitation around sensitive health concerns.
As at-home testing becomes more widely accepted across a growing range of health categories, its value extends beyond simply delivering a result. Self-testing can give patients timely information and help facilitate more informed conversations with pharmacists and other healthcare providers—potentially supporting faster decisions about treatment, follow-up and appropriate care.
For 2San, this evolution reflects a broader opportunity to make healthcare more accessible and proactive. As doctor accessibility remains an ongoing challenge for many patients, convenient self-testing options can help people better understand their health and take an important first step toward the right care. Combined with the accessibility and expertise of community pharmacists, self-testing has the potential to support earlier action, reduce unnecessary barriers and ultimately help improve quality of life.
The Pharmacy Times discussion reinforces a key theme behind the continued evolution of self-diagnostics: empowering patients with accessible health information while ensuring they have trusted healthcare professionals, including pharmacists, to help guide what comes next.
To watch the full series, visit Pharmacy Times Medcast: A Pharmacist’s Guide to Supporting Patients Beyond the Counter
At-Home Testing as a Catalyst for Better Pharmacy Care: A Pharmacist’s Guide to Supporting Patients Beyond the Counter
A recent Pharmacy Times Medcast conversation featuring pharmacists Adam James, PharmD, and Ashly McPhillips, PharmD, explored how the COVID-19 pandemic has reshaped the way patients access healthcare—and the increasingly important role pharmacists and at-home testing can play in helping patients take action sooner.