Ultra-complex specialty medications: Meeting the challenges of significant medication requirements through an integrated specialty pharmacy model.

Disclaimer: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

Evaluating patient-reported adherence and outcomes in specialty disease states: A dual-site initiative.

Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are often used by clinicians to evaluate patient response to specialty medications used to treat multiple sclerosis (MS) and rheumatologic conditions. Identifying associations among PROs and patient characteristics could inform patient-centered treatment monitoring.

Objective: To examine the association among patient characteristics and PROs, including patient-reported adherence (defined as no missed doses), medication tolerance, patient perceived effectiveness, and health care resource utilization (HCRU; defined as emergency department visits or hospitalizations), for patients prescribed specialty medications in 2 health system specialty pharmacies.

Successful Development and Implementation of a Large Virtual Interprofessional Education Activity Applying the Social Determinants of Health.

Interprofessional education (IPE) activities provide students insight into healthcare teams, shared decision-making, and social determinants of health (SDOH). Virtual IPE activities with large student populations or across multicampus have not been evaluated. The study aimed to explore the interprofessional competency growth in students, across several disciplines, following participation in a large-scale, virtual IPE activity.

Patients' use of smartphone apps for health record access in 2019: A cross-sectional study.

Introduction: The 21st Century Cures Act has expanded patients' access to portals through smartphone applications (apps). To date, the prevalence of patient portal smartphone apps use is unclear, especially on a national scale.

Methods: Using the 2019 Health Information National Trends Survey, we assessed factors associated with patient portal adopters accessing their records through a smartphone app.

Improving Pharmacy Students' Clinical Knowledge on Providing Care for Patients Belonging to the LGBTQ+ Community.

A 12-question survey instrument was developed, pilot-tested, and administered to 191 pharmacy students in their first professional year after engaging in a learning activity focusing on topics across five categories with clinical relevance to providing care to the LGBTQ+ community. A paired student t-test was performed on survey tool pre-test and post-test survey responses, with p < 0.05 considered significant.

Comparison of student performance in therapeutics and communications courses to outcomes of objective structured clinical examinations: A retrospective analysis.

Introduction: The objective was to examine the association between course grades and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) performances in a pharmacy student cohort.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of demographics, final grades in the Therapeutics I through IV and Communications courses, and multiple OSCE scores (therapeutic knowledge and general communication skills [GCS]) was performed for two cohorts.

Results: Female students scored higher than male students on the warfarin OSCE therapeutic knowledge (P = .

Use of value stream mapping to improve the medication synchronization process.

Background: Lean methodology, specifically value stream mapping, can be used to identify and reduce inefficiencies in the medication synchronization process.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to (1) evaluate potential medication synchronization process improvements to reduce nonvalue-added actions, (2) assess fidelity to the medication synchronization core components, and (3) identify the best process for medication synchronization for an independent community pharmacy with multiple locations.

Methods: This study used an observational, cross-sectional design.

The catalyst for change in teaching and assessing virtual laboratory skills.

Introduction: Historically, pharmacy skills laboratory courses have primarily been delivered utilizing in-person instruction; however, changes in methods of healthcare delivery serve as a catalyst to consider best practices for virtual learning in the skills laboratory setting.

Perspective: Shifting to a virtual delivery method is valuable for future curriculum and course development. Three specific delivery methods including flipped classroom, virtual formative simulations, and telehealth objective structured clinical examinations, provide examples of the opportunities and challenges instructors may encounter when shifting delivery methods.

A Scoping Review of Active-Learning Strategies for Teaching Social Determinants of Health in Pharmacy.

To review current conceptualizations and measurements of active-learning education within Doctor of Pharmacy degree programs as it pertains to social determinants of health (SDOH) and to determine the gaps and limitations in available literature. A secondary objective was to assess simulation-based educational methods related to SDOH in pharmacy. Sixteen articles were eligible for inclusion.

Use of Rapid Assessment Procedures when analyzing qualitative data in pharmacy research.

Qualitative research analytics and methodology are a useful part of many research projects. However, qualitative data analysis may be time intensive causing delays in results. This is especially problematic in time-sensitive projects where there an urgent need for results and a rapidly evolving situation being studied, such as during health crisis or early stages of project implementation.

Screening for social determinants of health in community pharmacy: Identifying best practices, barriers, and strategies for success.

The social determinants of health (SDOH) play a key role in patients' access to health care and medications. There exists an area of opportunity to leverage community pharmacists to make a large impact in identifying and incorporating an understanding of a patient's SDOH into their treatment plan. Community pharmacies are accessible and trusted avenues for health care interventions.

Medication synchronization adoption and pharmacy performance.

Background: While medication synchronization programs are becoming a staple in community pharmacies, a standard process needs to be identified to provide consistent positive outcomes. Many studies demonstrate how medication synchronization affects individual level patients but have not examined how medication synchronization affects the pharmacy's performance. Because community pharmacies are calibrated based on performance to adherence measures for all patients, it is important to understand whether resource-intensive interventions, such as medication synchronization, lead to improved performance.

Using the Drug Burden Index to identify older adults at highest risk for medication-related falls.

Background: The Drug Burden Index (DBI) was developed to assess patient exposure to medications associated with an increased risk of falling. The objective of this study was to examine the association between the DBI and medication-related fall risk.

Methods: The study used a retrospective cohort design, with a 1-year observation period.

Impact of STEADI-Rx: A Community Pharmacy-Based Fall Prevention Intervention.

Objectives: To evaluate the effects of a community pharmacy-based fall prevention intervention (STEADI-Rx) on the risk of falling and use of medications associated with an increased risk of falling.

Design: Randomized controlled trial.

Setting: A total of 65 community pharmacies in North Carolina (NC).

Care coordination and follow-up practices in the community pharmacy setting: A mixed methods study.

Objectives: This mixed methods study had 2 aims: (1) to describe the frequency of care coordination between pharmacists, prescribers, and care managers and (2) to identify pharmacists' strategies for care coordination and follow-up in a community pharmacy setting.

Design: This study used a mixed methods design.

Setting And Participants: Pharmacists who were responsible for implementing North Carolina community pharmacy enhanced services network (NC CPESN®) activities in their pharmacy during the first or second year of the 3-year program (September 2014-August 2016).

Exploring employer perceptions of pharmacy technician certification in the community pharmacy setting.

Background: With the evolving roles of pharmacy technicians in the United States, the profession has attempted to define a national standard. Community pharmacy employers to-date have preferred on-the-job training to formal, accredited training programs or credentialing, however, limited evidence exists on the perceived needs of pharmacy technicians in the United States compared to those of community pharmacy employers.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to explore: 1) community pharmacy employer perceptions of associated benefits and perceived value of pharmacy technician certification and 2) needs of employers related to pharmacy technician attitudes and knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs).

Implementation process for comprehensive medication review in the community pharmacy setting.

Objectives: To (1) describe the implementation process for comprehensive medication reviews (CMRs) among community pharmacies (e.g., processes for prioritizing patients, staffing, and information collection) and (2) examine factors associated with community pharmacies' CMR information collection process.

Training and Toolkit Resources to Support Implementation of a Community Pharmacy Fall Prevention Service.

Community pharmacies are an ideal setting to manage high-risk medications and screen older adults at risk for falls. Appropriate training and resources are needed to successfully implement services in this setting. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key training, tools, and resources to support implementation of fall prevention services.

Do comprehensive medication review completion rates predict medication use and management quality?

Objectives: Little is known about how Medicare Part D Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR) affects quality of medication use and management. In this study, changes of plan level CMR completion rates over time were examined and their associations with medication use and management related (MUMR) quality measures.

Methods: Using Medicare Part D plan Star Rating and contract information data, a longitudinal data set was developed with CMR completion rate and 17 MUMR measures.

Pharmacy characteristics correlating to performance in a community pharmacy network.

Objective: To assess the correlation between pharmacy characteristics and a broad set of performance measures used to support a community pharmacy network.

Methods: Baseline characteristics regarding demographics, services provided, technology, and staffing were collected via a 68-item survey for 123 pharmacies participating in the North Carolina community pharmacy enhanced services network. Performance metric data were collected, and scores were calculated for each pharmacy.

Assessing pharmacy technician certification: A national survey comparing certified and noncertified pharmacy technicians.

Objectives: To compare viewpoints of nationally certified and noncertified technicians and explore the perceived value of technician certification in the job performance domains of medication safety, skills and abilities, experience, engagement and satisfaction, and productivity.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey of pharmacy technicians, from 6 states representing 4 regions of the United States, was conducted. Technician mailing lists were purchased from Boards of Pharmacy, and randomly selected technicians were sent survey invitations.

Systematic review of medication synchronization in community pharmacy practice.

Background: Medication non-adherence costs more than 100 billion dollars in avoidable hospitalizations yearly. As a result, community pharmacies have implemented medication synchronization programs to improve adherence. One function of most medication synchronization programs is the alignment of all of a patient's medications to refill on a single date.

Development of a medication synchronization common language for community pharmacies.

Objectives: To develop a common language for the medication synchronization process in community pharmacies.

Methods: A systematic and iterative process was used to create and refine a common language for medication synchronization. First, a review of all available medication synchronization-related documents was completed.

Community Pharmacist Preferences in Transition of Care Communications.

Objective: To determine community pharmacist preferences in transition of care (TOC) communications.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, data were gathered via electronic survey of community pharmacists regarding their preferences for TOC communications. The survey was distributed via email by the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy.

Development of a Communication Strategy to Increase Interprofessional Collaboration in the Outpatient Setting.

Managing patient health is a complex task, requiring the support of an interprofessional healthcare team. Collaboration between neighboring community pharmacies and primary care practices can be an alternate solution for team-based patient care. The purpose of this project was to design and implement a communication strategy for patients with diabetes and hypertension between a community pharmacy and physician practice.