What happens when a pharmacist becomes part of a direct primary care (DPC) clinic?

In this episode of Health Literacy IRL, I sit down with Ellen Jones, PharmD, a pharmacist and faculty member who practices inside a DPC clinic in Arkansas. We dig into how the direct primary care model — and pharmacist-led services — can transform health literacy, medication management, and the patient experience.

In this episode, we cover:

• What direct primary care (DPC) is and how it differs from concierge medicine
• How Ellen built a role as a pharmacist in a DPC clinic while serving as pharmacy faculty
• The day-to-day responsibilities of a DPC pharmacist
• Health literacy-friendly characteristics of the the DPC model (e.g., longer visits, unlimited follow-ups, text access)
• Why time, emotions, and readiness to learn are essential for effective patient education
• The impact of administrative “bloat” on traditional primary care — and what changes when you step outside that system
• Creative ways pharmacists and DPC clinicians can partner, even when budgets are tight

Connect with Us

Host – Megan Freeland, PharmD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megan-n-freeland/

Guest – Ellen Jones, PharmD

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellenjonespharmd/

If this episode helped you understand direct primary care, pharmacist roles in primary care, or health literacy better, hit Subscribe, give the video a thumbs up, and share it with a pharmacist, clinician, or health leader who needs to hear this.

Following on the heels of part 1, we'll continue discussing how to not only bring health literacy out of hiding within your health org, but how to connect disparate programs, initiatives, and materials more intentionally for the advancement of patient outcomes.

In part 1, we discussed the first step: Identify. Listen to part 2 for the remaining 5 steps.

Know someone who'd be an excellent guest? Complete the guest recommendation form: https://forms.gle/T67gHNChCiLU5x3p7

It can be common to feel disconnected from others within your organization who are also working on health literacy. This lack of awareness or connection can feel like difficult challenges to overcome, but it's worth it to take what time you can to identify where others are advancing health literacy initiatives — even by another name! — throughout your organization.

Oftentimes, organizational health literacy initiatives are hiding in plain sight, and in this episode, we'll discuss common departments and verticals where they're often found. With greater awareness, we can more effectively coordinate efforts, avoid unnecessary duplication of efforts, and ultimately, make more substantial headway with health literacy programs and initiatives.

Know someone who'd be an excellent guest? Complete the guest recommendation form: https://forms.gle/T67gHNChCiLU5x3p7

Health literacy is a systemic problem, not an individual one. And all health institutions play a role in improving health literacy.

In this episode, I expand on the difference between personal health literacy and organizational health literacy. Then we explore examples of organizational health literacy for:

• hospitals/health systems
• biopharma
• payors
• direct patient care

Know someone who'd be an excellent guest? Complete the guest recommendation form.

The estimated cost of low health literacy in the US ranges from $106 to $238 Billion-with-a-B annually. Even though low health literacy is often framed as an individual problem, it's really a systemic one.

Welcome to the Health Literacy IRL podcast, where we'll explore how health institutions are assuming responsibility for the advancement of health literacy.