Beyond Clinic Walls provides support for older clients

A program at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Asheville campus at MAHEC pairs students with community members 65 and older to provide support as they navigate the health care system.

Beyond Clinic Walls is an interdisciplinary program for health professions students to get to know patients and have a deeper understanding of their needs and how they interact with the health care system.

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for pharmacy students to get hands-on experience working face to face with patients, especially older adults,” said Emma Williams ’20 (PharmD), Beyond Clinic Walls pharmacy faculty adviser and assistant professor of clinical education. “It gives students perhaps their first opportunity to understand what it’s like to age in the United States and the challenges older adults face.”

The pharmacy school partners with UNC School of Medicine and Western Carolina University’s nursing and social work schools on the initiative. One or two students from each discipline are paired up together on a team that connects with a client in the Asheville area who needs extra support.

The teams meet with their clients monthly throughout the academic year, in any location or at the client’s home. Students can’t offer medical advice but can assess if clients have any barriers to health care or getting their medications.

“From the student side, it’s important to learn that patients have unique and individual experiences within the health care system. Understanding that while you’re a student and getting experience talking to patients while you’re still learning is super important,” said Tristi Fisher, Beyond Clinic Walls pharmacy student leader. “It allows you to learn how to ask the right questions and be more compassionate and understanding once you get into care after graduation.”

The students each bring skills from their respective areas to help support the clients.

• Pharmacy students discuss medications and check for discrepancies.
• Medical students review previous medical history, treatments and experiences with the health care system.
• Nursing students connect with the clients, primarily through adult living facilities around Asheville, and conduct assessments on their ability to perform daily activities.
• Social work students identify the client’s support system and help find resources and set goals.

“I think the ability to practice working on teams and collaborating with other health care professionals so soon in my career, even while I’m in school, is something I was really drawn to,” said Fisher. “Allowing students to work in that setting while they’re in school sets providers up for success after graduation.”

Student teams may also lead a project with their client, whether it’s something fun or an activity that ties into a need. One previous team helped coordinate the construction of a ramp for a client who had mobility issues at home.

“I love the innovation and desire for growth and excellence within the field of pharmacy at UNC,” said Fisher. “When I think about the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, I think about collaboration and community. I felt that, on the Asheville campus and in Chapel Hill, students and faculty especially are so supportive of each other.”