U.S. community pharmacies as CLIA-waived facilities: Prevalence, dispersion, and impact on patient access to testing.
The Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988 (CLIA) enabled greater access to low-risk tests by allowing their use in facilities with a Certificate of Waiver in the U.S. Community pharmacies are among the most accessible health professionals, and they are increasingly offering CLIA-waived tests. This manuscript aims to determine: 1) the current number of pharmacies in the United States with CLIA-waivers; 2) the uptake of CLIA-waivers by different pharmacy store types; and 3) the state-by-state differences in the percentage of pharmacies with a CLIA-waiver.



Data were collected from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CLIA Laboratory Search website on May 3rd, 2015. The website allows for exportation of demographic data on all CLIA-waived facilities by state.



Pharmacies are currently the fourth highest-ranking facility of CLIA-waived laboratories with 10,838 locations. Supermarkets had the highest percentage of pharmacies with a CLIA-waiver (43.16%). States demonstrated considerable variability in the percentage of pharmacies with a CLIA-waiver, with a median percentage of 19.56% (0%-60.00% range).



Community pharmacies are currently a leading facility for CLIA-waived laboratories. Substantial state-level variation is observed in the percentage of pharmacies with CLIA-waivers, and these differences may be driven by restrictions in state law or regulations.
Pharmacy Practice, Ferris State University, College of Pharmacy, Kalamazoo, MI, USA.
Michael E
ME
Klepser
Pharmacy Programs, National Association of Chain Drug Stores, Arlington, VA, USA(f). Electronic address: alexadamsrph@gmail.com.
Alex J
AJ
Adams
Cedarville University, School of Pharmacy, Cedarville, OH, USA.
Paul
P
Srnis
University of Rhode Island, College of Pharmacy, Kingston, RI, USA.
Matthew
M
Mazzucco
Pharmacy Practice, University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Pharmacy, Omaha, NE, USA.
Donald
D
Klepser
D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D064790:Clinical Laboratory Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D003157:Community Pharmacy Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003955:Diagnostic Tests, Routine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D014481:United States
CLIA-waived laboratories; Community pharmacy; Point-of-care testing