Good Neighbor Pharmacy expands immunization programs for pharmacists

VALLEY FORGE, Pa. — Good Neighbor Pharmacy recently signed an agreement with the University of Southern California, providing a unique, international travel health program for community pharmacists, the company announced Friday.

As part of a larger immunization certification program, Good Neighbor Pharmacy members, a network of more than 3,700 locally owned and operated community pharmacies, are eligible to enroll in a training program that offers comprehensive pretravel health services in the convenient community pharmacy setting.

Pharmacists who have received certification to administer specific immunizations and vaccines in their state are eligible for this travel health program. International travel health experts at the University of Southern California School of Pharmacy will provide additional training and clinical support to participating pharmacists. Pharmacists will gather information from their patients and work with the USC Travel Medicine Assistance Program to give patient and destination-specific recommendations for vaccines, prescription and over-the-counter medications, travel supplies and counseling topics. Local pharmacists see the patient, equipped with expert information from USC Travel MAP.

“Working with USC Travel MAP gives another opportunity for our Good Neighbor Pharmacies to be a resource for their patients, which is consistent with Good Neighbor Pharmacy’s goal of becoming a healthcare destination,” Good Neighbor Pharmacy president Mike Cantrell said. “Pharmacists certified to provide immunizations, and acquire this additional training, will be providing one more important professional, convenient service for their patients.”

Good Neighbor Pharmacy members learned of the USC Travel MAP at the National Healthcare Conference and Exposition held in Las Vegas this past week.