Bridging the gap: How pharmacists help improve diabetes care in rural Kentucky

At AdventHealth Manchester, our goal is simple: help people live healthier lives. In April 2024, our endocrinology clinic tried something new to better care for patients with diabetes. We added a clinical pharmacist to the care team.

This change made a big difference.

A new way to care for patients

Diabetes is very common in rural Kentucky. Many people struggle to get the care they need because of long wait times, travel distance, or trouble managing medicines. To help with this, our clinic created a team where doctors, nurse practitioners, and pharmacists work closely together.

In this model, the pharmacist helps patients manage their diabetes medicines, explains how treatments work, and checks in often to make sure patients are doing well.

Better health for our patients

From April 2024 to July 2025, 185 patients worked with a pharmacist as part of their care. Most of these patients saw real improvement:

• 9 out of 10 patients lowered their A1c
• Average A1c dropped from 9.35% to 7.39%
• Most patients reached safer blood sugar levels
• Fewer patients returned to the hospital
• Hospital readmissions dropped to 3%, compared to 16% for patients who did not work with a pharmacist

Patients who did not receive pharmacist care showed very little improvement.

Faster access to care

Adding a pharmacist also helped the clinic see more patients and reduce wait times:

• The clinic went from seeing 3 patients a day to nearly 10
• More patients were able to get appointments within two weeks
• Doctors had more time to focus on complex cases

This helped more people get care when they needed it.

What patients and providers say

Patients shared that they felt better, had more energy, and understood their diabetes more clearly. One patient said,

“I feel lucky to have a team that works together to help me stay healthy.”

Providers also saw the benefits. One shared,

“Having a pharmacist on the team helps patients learn more and take better care of themselves.”

Growing the program

Because of its success, this care model is now being used in other areas, including primary care and telemedicine. This shows how teamwork can improve care across the health system.

Sharing our success

Our clinic has shared these results with national medical groups and has submitted this work to the Endocrine Society. If accepted, our story will be shared with healthcare leaders from across the country at ENDO 2026.

Looking ahead

Adding a pharmacist to the endocrinology team has helped patients feel better, reduced hospital visits, and improved access to care. This model shows that even small changes can make a big difference—especially in rural communities.

At AdventHealth Manchester, teamwork is helping patients live healthier, fuller lives.