Premise Health Pharmacist to Present at APhA Annual Meeting for Research in Diabetes Medication Adherence

Premise Health clinical pharmacist, Briana Nelson, PharmD, has been invited to present her research on diabetes medication adherence at the APhA Annual Meeting and Exposition, taking place March 22-25. The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) organizes the annual event as an opportunity for students, clinical professionals, technicians, and researchers to network, sit in on research presentations, receive industry updates, and celebrate their colleagues’ achievements through awards recognition programs. 

Premise Pharmacist to Present at APhA Annual Meeting for Research in Diabetes Medication Adherence Nelson’s research presentation is a follow-up to her 2023 study on medication adherence. With her focus ultimately aimed at improving the health outcomes of study participants at her wellness center, Nelson developed and provided a survey for patients with diabetes who attended regular visits with their Premise providers throughout 2023. Nelson’s survey asked members about their prescription use, including questions about how they remembered to take their medications and what barriers, if any, may have prevented them from doing so.  

Since then, Nelson has collected the results and, through cross-sectional analysis with pharmacy dispensing data, will be presenting on the overall impact of the survey through retrospective analysis. Her abstract summarizing the study was reviewed and approved by the APhA to be presented at this year’s conference, titled, “Impact of Medication Adherence Barriers Survey on Health Outcomes in Patients Participating in a Pharmacist Led Diabetes Management Program.” 

When asked about her intention behind the study, Nelson said, “Premise’s model of care has solved for other issues like this, so I did the survey to find out what those potential gaps are in the process for our members. Is there any more that we can do to help close the loop and truly say we’ve checked all the boxes?” 

Nelson joined Premise in July of 2022 as a resident pharmacist after completing her master’s program at the Mercer College of Pharmacy. A Georgia native, Nelson began work with the Southwire Family Pharmacy in Carrollton, Georgia, allowing her to stay close to home. She said, “After graduation, I wanted to find a catch-all experience, something that could provide me with real, on-the-job training while also allowing me to follow my passion for helping everyone that I can. What was important to me was finding an organization focused on the patient through holistic care. At Premise, I’ve found that I really do have the ability to create change when I’m empowered to do more for my patients.” 

Later that year, Nelson applied for a 2023 Incentive Grant, submitting her proposal to develop a better method for understanding medication non-adherence. Nelson’s research proposal was approved, placing it among a select group of 40 research projects in total.  The Incentive Grant program has been supported by the APhA and Community Pharmacy foundations since 1993, facilitating the development of over 600 pharmacy-based projects meant to improve the health outcomes of patients in the U.S.  

For Nelson, this research was personal, “It feels like everyone knows someone who has been diagnosed with diabetes. That’s why this research is so impactful to me and why I want work with patients and be their advocate.”  

Regarding her experience as a clinical pharmacist with Premise, Nelson says, “I can’t thank my entire team enough for being a part of this. By being hands on and walking with our patients every step of the way, we can arm them with the knowledge they need to make a difference in their lives.” 

Read more about the research of Nelson and other grant recipients in the APhA Foundation’s 2023 Incentive Grant Digest.