CPOM Module 20, Section 4: Community Engagement, Outreach, and Philanthropic Programs
Module 20: Health Equity, Ethics & Social Responsibility in Pharmacy Operations

Section 4: Community Engagement, Outreach, and Philanthropic Programs

A guide to extending the pharmacy’s mission beyond the hospital walls by partnering with local health departments, non-profits, and community organizations to improve public health.

SECTION 20.4

Community Engagement, Outreach, and Philanthropic Programs

Transforming the pharmacy department from a cost center into a community asset.

20.4.1 The “Why”: The Hospital Without Walls

For much of modern history, hospitals have been conceived as fortresses of healing—places people came to when they were sick. The relationship with the community was largely transactional: the community provided the patients, and the hospital provided the treatment. The walls of the institution represented a clear boundary between “healthcare” and “everyday life.” As a pharmacy leader operating within this traditional model, your focus is necessarily internal: managing the formulary, optimizing dispensing workflows, ensuring regulatory compliance, and controlling costs within those walls. Success is measured by internal metrics of efficiency and safety.

However, the seismic shifts in healthcare financing and philosophy—from fee-for-service to value-based care, from treating sickness to promoting wellness—have rendered this fortress model obsolete. Today, a health system’s long-term success is inextricably linked to the health of the community it serves. A hospital located in a community with high rates of uncontrolled diabetes, opioid addiction, or vaccine-preventable illness will inevitably be burdened with high costs from preventable emergency department visits and hospitalizations. The concept of the “hospital without walls” has emerged, recognizing that a health system’s responsibility does not end at the discharge door but extends into the neighborhoods, schools, and community centers where health is either nurtured or neglected.

This paradigm shift presents an unprecedented opportunity for the pharmacy department. No other department within the health system has the unique combination of medication expertise, public accessibility, and trusted professionals to lead this charge. Community engagement is no longer a “soft skill” or a peripheral activity for the marketing department; it is a core strategic function of a modern pharmacy enterprise. It is the operational manifestation of a commitment to population health. By proactively engaging in outreach, education, and partnership, you transform the pharmacy from a reactive department that treats the consequences of community health problems into a proactive force that helps solve them at their source.

This section provides the strategic and tactical blueprint for this transformation. You will learn how to identify community needs, build authentic partnerships, design and execute high-impact outreach programs, and secure the funding to make them sustainable. This is how you extend your mission and your influence beyond the four walls of the pharmacy, cementing your department’s role not just as a vital part of the hospital, but as an indispensable pillar of the community’s health.

Retail Pharmacist Analogy: From Neighborhood Fixture to Community Health Hub

Think back to the classic image of the independent community pharmacist. This individual was more than just a dispenser of medications; they were a trusted neighborhood fixture. They knew their patients by name, they knew their families, and they were a frontline resource for all manner of health questions. If there was a flu outbreak at the local school, the pharmacist was the first to know. If a church group needed a speaker on blood pressure, they were the first person asked. Their value was not just in the products on their shelves, but in their deep, organic integration into the social fabric of the neighborhood. Their engagement was natural, built on decades of shared experience and trust.

As a modern health-system pharmacy leader, you operate on a much larger and more complex scale. You cannot rely on this kind of organic, passive integration. Your “neighborhood” is a sprawling, diverse community of hundreds of thousands of people. Therefore, you must be intentional and strategic in your engagement. Your task is to transform your institutional pharmacy department into a community health hub. This is a far more ambitious role than being a simple fixture.

A hub is an active, central point of connection. It doesn’t just sit in the neighborhood; it actively pulls in resources and pushes out services. It systematically identifies the community’s needs (like a hub airport analyzing passenger traffic data). It forges formal partnerships with other key players (like airlines forming alliances). It develops specific programs to serve those needs (like opening new routes to underserved cities). It actively seeks funding and markets its services to ensure its long-term viability. The goal is the same as that of the old neighborhood pharmacist—to be a trusted, central resource for the community’s health. But the methods are those of a modern executive: strategic planning, partnership development, program management, and data-driven evaluation. This section is your flight school for building and captaining that hub.

20.4.2 The Foundation of Engagement: Strategic Partnership Development

Effective community engagement is not a solo endeavor. A health system pharmacy, no matter how well-resourced, cannot possibly address the multifaceted health needs of a community on its own. Attempting to do so is arrogant, inefficient, and doomed to failure. The cornerstone of a successful outreach strategy is the development of authentic, mutually beneficial partnerships with the organizations that are already deeply embedded and trusted within the community. Your role as a leader is to be a master-convener and collaborator, leveraging your institution’s resources to amplify the work of others.

Identifying Your Key Community Stakeholders

Before you can engage, you must listen. The first step is to conduct a thorough environmental scan or “stakeholder mapping” to identify the key players in your community’s public health ecosystem. This process should be guided by your hospital’s Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA), a formal report required for non-profit hospitals that identifies the most pressing local health issues.

Masterclass Table: Mapping Your Community Partner Ecosystem
Partner Category Examples Why They Are Critical Partners Potential Collaborative Project
Local Public Health Departments City/County Health Departments, Public Health Nursing Services They hold the official mandate and the population-level data for community health. They are experts in epidemiology, health education, and reaching underserved populations. They are a source of legitimacy and expertise. Co-host community vaccination clinics (flu, COVID-19, school-required immunizations). Partner on a grant to fund a naloxone distribution and training program targeting high-risk areas identified by their data.
Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) Community health clinics, migrant health centers, healthcare for the homeless centers. These are the front lines of primary care for the nation’s most vulnerable populations, including the uninsured and Medicaid beneficiaries. They have deep, trusted relationships with the patients your hospital is trying to better serve. Establish a formal 340B contract pharmacy relationship. Embed one of your clinical pharmacists at the FQHC one day a week to provide complex medication management for their highest-risk patients (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes).
Community-Based Non-Profits & Advocacy Groups American Heart Association, American Diabetes Association, local food banks, Meals on Wheels, YMCA, faith-based organizations (churches, mosques, synagogues). These organizations have incredible reach, volunteer networks, and a deep understanding of specific community needs. They offer existing infrastructure and a high level of community trust. Partner with a local food bank to create a “Food Pharmacy” program. Work with faith-based organizations to host “Brown Bag Medication Review” events for their senior members after services.
Academic Institutions Local schools of pharmacy, public health, nursing, and medicine. They are a source of energetic, motivated student volunteers and faculty expertise. They can provide rigorous program evaluation and research support to help you measure and publish your impact. Create a formal rotation or service-learning experience for pharmacy students to staff your outreach events. Partner with a public health faculty member to design and co-author a study on the impact of your Meds-to-Beds program.
Municipal & Social Services Senior centers, public libraries, Parks and Recreation departments, housing authorities. These entities own and operate the physical spaces where the community gathers. They provide access to “hard-to-reach” populations in a non-medical, trusted setting. Offer to provide a monthly “Ask the Pharmacist” talk series at local senior centers or public libraries on topics like Medicare Part D enrollment or safe medication disposal.
The Golden Rules of Authentic Partnership

Building trust with community organizations, especially when you represent a large, powerful institution, requires humility and a specific set of behaviors.

  • Lead with Listening. Your first meeting with a potential partner should not be a pitch for your idea. It should be an open-ended inquiry: “Tell us about your work. What are the biggest challenges you’re facing? What are the biggest needs you’re seeing in the community? How could a partner like us be most helpful to you?”
  • Check Your Power at the Door. Recognize that you are entering their space. Do not assume your institution’s priorities are their priorities. The goal is to find the intersection of your mutual interests, not to impose your agenda.
  • Start Small and Deliver. Don’t propose a massive, multi-year grant-funded project on day one. Propose a small, tangible, joint project that you can execute flawlessly. Co-hosting a single health fair or giving a single presentation builds far more trust than over-promising and under-delivering on a grand vision. Trust is built on a foundation of kept promises.
  • Share the Spotlight. When you have a successful event, ensure that your community partner gets equal (or even primary) credit in all press releases, social media posts, and reports to leadership. Your goal is to be a powerful ally, not a savior.
  • Formalize the Relationship. Once trust is established, move towards a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). This simple document clarifies roles, responsibilities, and shared goals. It elevates the relationship from an informal collaboration to a strategic alliance.

20.4.3 Masterclass: Designing and Executing High-Impact Outreach Programs

With a network of strategic partners in place, you can move to the execution phase: designing specific, pharmacy-led programs that address the identified needs of your community. A successful outreach program is not just a “nice thing to do”; it is a well-planned operational project with a clear mission, defined target audience, meticulous logistics, and measurable outcomes. This section provides a practical blueprint for three high-impact, evidence-based program models.

Program Blueprint 1: The “Ask the Pharmacist” Community Education Series

Mission: To increase health literacy and provide accessible, expert medication information to community members, particularly seniors, in trusted, non-clinical settings.

Target Audience: Primarily older adults (65+), caregivers, and any community member interested in learning more about their health. Partner with senior centers, public libraries, and faith-based organizations to host events.

Operational Playbook
Phase Key Actions
1. Curriculum Development
  • Develop a “menu” of 6-8 standardized, 30-minute presentations on high-interest topics. Poll potential partners to see what topics are most relevant to their members.
  • Example Topics: “Navigating Medicare Part D,” “Understanding Your Blood Pressure Meds,” “Diabetes 101: Beyond the Basics,” “Safe and Effective Use of Pain Relievers,” “Vitamins & Supplements: What’s Worth Your Money?”
  • Create professional, visually engaging slide decks and one-page, large-print handouts for each topic. Ensure all materials are at a 5th-grade reading level.
2. Staffing & Training
  • Create a volunteer corps of “Community Ambassador” pharmacists from your staff. This is an excellent professional development opportunity for residents and new practitioners.
  • Provide a brief “train-the-trainer” session on public speaking and communicating effectively with older adults.
  • Develop a scheduling system (e.g., a shared online calendar) for partners to request talks and for pharmacists to sign up.
3. Logistics & “Go-Kit”
  • Assemble a standardized “Go-Kit” for each event, including: a laptop with presentations, a portable projector, handouts, feedback forms, and brochures about your hospital’s pharmacy services.
  • Designate a program coordinator (e.g., an administrative assistant or lead technician) to handle scheduling, confirm logistics with the host site, and prepare the Go-Kit.
4. Measurement & Evaluation
  • At the end of each session, distribute a simple feedback form asking attendees to rate the presentation and state one thing they learned.
  • Track key metrics: Number of talks given, number of attendees, average satisfaction score.
  • Collect testimonials to share with hospital leadership and use in marketing materials.

Program Blueprint 2: The Opioid Safety & Take-Back Initiative

Mission: To combat the opioid epidemic by reducing the supply of unused prescription opioids in the community and increasing access to the life-saving overdose reversal agent, naloxone.

Target Audience: The entire community. Partner with local law enforcement, public health departments, and substance use disorder treatment centers.

Operational Playbook
Phase Key Actions
1. Establish a Permanent Take-Back Location
  • Work with your security and facilities departments to install a permanent, DEA-compliant medication take-back kiosk in your outpatient pharmacy lobby.
  • Register the kiosk with the DEA and develop policies and procedures for regularly emptying it and managing the waste stream via a reverse distributor.
  • Promote the availability of this free, anonymous service through hospital-wide marketing channels.
2. Host Drive-Through Take-Back Events
  • Partner with local police or the sheriff’s department to co-host semi-annual drive-through take-back events in the hospital parking lot, coinciding with the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Days.
  • The law enforcement partnership is critical for managing the chain of custody for the collected substances.
  • Pharmacy staff and students can volunteer to assist with traffic flow and provide educational materials.
3. Implement a Naloxone Distribution Program
  • Work with your state’s public health department to become a registered site for distributing free naloxone kits (often provided at no cost through federal grants).
  • Develop a brief, standardized training script that any pharmacist or technician can use to teach community members how to recognize an overdose and administer naloxone.
  • Proactively offer naloxone kits to any patient being prescribed high-dose opioids, or to any family member or community member who requests one, no questions asked.
4. Measurement & Evaluation
  • Track pounds of medication collected at take-back events.
  • Track number of naloxone kits distributed and number of individuals trained.
  • Work with the public health department to monitor trends in community overdose rates over time.

20.4.4 Fueling the Mission: Philanthropy and Grant Funding

While many high-impact outreach programs can be started with a modest investment of staff time and existing resources, true scalability and sustainability often require external funding. As a pharmacy leader, developing a basic competency in fundraising is a powerful skill that can unlock transformative opportunities for your department and community. This involves understanding the philanthropic landscape and learning how to articulate your vision in a way that inspires investment from hospital foundations, community grants, and government sources.

Masterclass Table: Navigating the Funding Landscape
Funding Source Description Best For… Leader’s Action Plan
Internal Hospital Foundation Most health systems have a philanthropic arm that raises money from grateful patients and community donors to support hospital initiatives. Seed funding for pilot projects, purchasing capital equipment (like a delivery vehicle or take-back kiosk), funding a part-time MAP Coordinator position. Schedule a meeting with the foundation’s president. Treat them like a key strategic partner. Learn their funding priorities for the year and align your “ask” with their goals. Provide them with compelling, emotional patient stories they can use in their fundraising appeals.
Community & Private Foundations Local community foundations (e.g., The Community Foundation of Central Florida) and private foundations (e.g., Robert Wood Johnson Foundation) award competitive grants for projects that align with their specific mission. Funding for specific, time-bound projects with measurable outcomes. Examples: a one-year pilot of a “Food Pharmacy” program, or a project to improve asthma outcomes in a specific zip code. Research the foundations active in your area. Carefully read their grant guidelines and funding priorities. Start by submitting a Letter of Intent (LOI). If invited, work with a grant writer (many hospitals have them) to develop a full proposal.
Corporate Sponsorships Local businesses, banks, and other corporations often have community relations budgets to sponsor local events and initiatives. Sponsoring a specific event like a community health fair or a drug take-back day. The amounts are typically smaller, but the process is less formal than a grant. Work with your hospital’s marketing or community relations department to identify potential corporate partners. Create a simple “sponsorship menu” (e.g., “$500 gets your logo on our flyer, $1,000 gets you a table at the event”).
Federal & State Grants Large, highly competitive grants from sources like HRSA, CDC, or SAMHSA. These are often complex, multi-year awards. Large-scale, evidence-based programs that require significant infrastructure, such as establishing a new telepharmacy service for a rural region or launching a major substance use disorder treatment initiative. This almost always requires a dedicated, professional grant writer. Your role is to serve as the subject matter expert and principal investigator (PI), providing the clinical and operational vision for the project. These are long-term strategic plays, not quick wins.
The Peril of “Chasing the Money”

While seeking funding is essential, it comes with a critical warning: Do not let the availability of a grant dictate your mission. A common mistake is to contort your program idea to fit the requirements of a specific grant, even if it’s not a true community need or a strategic priority. This is known as “mission drift.” Your community engagement strategy, driven by your CHNA and partner feedback, must come first. You then seek funding that aligns with your pre-defined mission. Chasing money for projects you are not passionate about or equipped to run leads to mediocre outcomes and donor dissatisfaction. Your strategic plan should be the map; grants are simply the fuel for the journey, not the destination itself.