Villa Caritas pharmacy immunization blitz team

Kinnson Lo, Emma Huang, Nicole Ball, Jennifer Druken

Older adults with chronic conditions, cognitive and behavioral challenges in congregate living environments face heightened risks for infection and severe outcomes. The Villa Caritas pharmacy blitz team acted proactively to protect these patients with an immunization blitz on October 15, 17, and 21, 2025.

Pharmacists used their expanded scope of practice by assessing patients and prescribing influenza, COVID-19 and pneumococcal vaccinations. Pharmacy technicians played a critical role in managing procurement, dispensing, checking and maintaining cold chain integrity for large vaccine volumes. This coordinated, site-wide effort greatly enhanced patient access to preventive care, alleviated pressure on physicians and optimized pharmacy resources while upholding the highest standards of safety and quality.

To optimize resources, the blitz was carefully structured with staggered vaccination days over one week, reducing workflow disruptions and preventing vaccine wastage. Collaboration extended beyond pharmacy to include Villa Caritas leadership, educators, nurses, social workers and unit clerks, aligning operational processes to support training, consent collection and centralized documentation for clear communication and streamlined tracking. Through careful planning and responsible resource allocation the blitz team administered 104 influenza, 93 COVID-19 and 86 pneumococcal vaccines immunizing over half of the patient population before peak respiratory virus season.

By concentrating efforts in this condensed timeframe, the team immunized more patients without compromising baseline care, achieving cost avoidance through evidence-based interventions that reduce hospitalizations and complications. This approach improved immediate efficiency and created a scalable model for pharmacist-led vaccination programs.