Many pharmacy-led “test-to-treat” efforts didn’t fail because the clinical logic was wrong. They stalled because the workflow and supply reality were. When tests or cartridges aren’t consistently available, product changes mid-season force retraining, and the pathway from a positive test to next steps is unclear, programs quietly degrade into “something we do when we have time.” The outcome is predictable: teams stop trusting availability, patients lose momentum after a positive result, and leadership shifts attention to the next initiative.
A more pragmatic approach, especially for independent and outpatient settings, is to start with OTC respiratory tests that can live on the shelf today, then build a repeatable “swab-to-script” journey around them. Durable programs typically share a few traits: consistent product availability through the season, packaging and instructions that are easy for staff to support, and a clear handoff from positive result to action that does not overburden the bench. If you’re exploring how to strengthen your respiratory testing strategy, Unite Medical supports pharmacy-friendly OTC diagnostics and resilient sourcing models designed to hold up through real seasonal demand, available through Cencora Marketplace or directly through Unite’s website.
