Pharmacists Face Time, Training Hurdles in CGM Counseling

Community pharmacists are often among the first health care professionals to interact with patients starting continuous glucose monitoring (CGM). With CGMs becoming more common in community settings, pharmacists are uniquely positioned to ensure patients understand their devices at the point of access. A recent study found pharmacists offered counseling up to 80% of the time, highlighting their accessibility.¹ However, challenges remain in delivering comprehensive education.

The biggest barrier is time. In the study, median CGM counseling lasted under 2 minutes, far short of what is needed for thorough instruction. Morgan Stewart, PharmD, BCACP, BC-ADM, an author on the study, said she often has 30 minutes for setup and education in the ambulatory care clinic where she works, but this is a luxury community pharmacists often lack. Limited staffing, workflow pressures, and insufficient reimbursement further constrain their ability to provide in-depth counseling.

Some pharmacists also reported varying comfort levels with different CGM devices, underscoring the need for ongoing training. As CGMs move toward over-the-counter availability, the demand for pharmacist guidance will only grow. Policy changes that support reimbursement for patient education could help ensure pharmacists have the resources and time needed to fully engage patients, optimize device use, and enhance diabetes management outcomes.

Drug Topics® recently sat down with Stewart, who is also a clinical associate professor of pharmacy practice at the University of Texas at Austin, to discuss how important the role community pharmacists play is in supporting patients who use CGMs and some of the most common challenges pharmacists face when counseling patients on CGM use.

“I think with CGMs leaning towards becoming more over-the-counter, pharmacists being able to provide guidance and support to patients is going to be even more critical to assure that patients are not just using them correctly, but that patients are able to fully engage with their device and really get the full benefit for their diabetes management,” Stewart said.

References

1. Stewart MP, Loera LJ, Onwukwe, et al. Assessing the accessibility and accuracy of pharmacist counseling for continuous glucose monitoring: A secret shopper study of community pharmacies. J Am Pharm Assoc. 2025. DOI: 10.1016/j.japh.2025.102493