Pharmacist-led Transitions of Care: A Cohort Study on Admission Medication History Factors and Adjustments to the Discharge Medication List.

Patients are at risk of experiencing medication errors during each transition of care (TOC), which can result in adverse drug events and readmissions. Implementing a pharmacist-led TOC service can optimize medication safety and patient outcomes by identifying and correcting medication discrepancies prior to hospital discharge. A pharmacist-led TOC service at a tertiary care center expanded services to review medications at discharge for all enrolled hospitalized patients, but data collection and review had yet to be performed.

Evaluation of a Pharmacist-Led COVID-19 Vaccination Program in a Hospital Setting.

A pharmacist-led COVID-19 vaccination screening and administration tool was implemented at a tertiary care hospital in the Upper Midwest, allowing pharmacists to determine if an inpatient is a candidate for the COVID-19 vaccination. The purpose of this observational study was to examine the feasibility of a pharmacist-led, COVID-19 vaccination administration workflow to the inpatient population in a tertiary care hospital. This observational study was conducted at an Upper-Midwest facility and includes a study population of adult patients admitted to the hospital between 10/1/2021 - 1/1/2022.

Impact of Pharmacist-Led Education on Proper Prophylactic Enoxaparin Dosing in Obese Patients.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a common cardiovascular complication in middle-aged adults. There is a likelihood a patient may experience VTE when admitted to a hospital. Prophylactic medications such as low-dose unfractionated heparin and enoxaparin are started to prevent VTE.

Outcomes of same-day discharge following percutaneous coronary intervention in a rural population.

Background: Same-day discharge (SDD) following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is safe, yet the nationwide rate of SDD remains low. The impact that residing in a rural area has on the safety of SDD is unknown.

Objective: To investigate the safety of SDD compared to next-day discharge (NDD) among PCI patients living in a largely rural area.

Bridging Community Mental Health and Primary Care to Improve Medication Monitoring and Outcomes for Patients With Mental Illness Taking Second-Generation Antipsychotics-Phase 2: Quality Improvement Initiative Over 15 Months.

To evaluate the effectiveness of a quality improvement (QI) initiative to improve family medicine residents' metabolic monitoring of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) for patients comanaged across nonintegrated community mental health and family medicine clinics. Patients were aged ≥ 18 years seen by family medicine residents and prescribed at least 1 SGA (N = 175). Preparative and scheduled QI interventions were nonblinded and included collaboration across organizations, education, and monthly interprofessional care conferences.

Epidemiology of traumatic brain injuries at a rural-serving Level II trauma center, 2004 - 2016.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and quantify rural and urban differences.

Methods: Patient characteristics, injury characteristics, imaging, and outcomes were extracted from the trauma registry of the level II trauma center at Essentia Health-St. Mary's Medical Center, Duluth, MN, for patients admitted for a TBI from January 1, 2004, through December 31, 2016.

Development, Implementation, and Evaluation of an Early Mobility Protocol in a Regional Level II Trauma Center.

The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate a collaborative nursing/therapist protocol for early mobility in a medical-surgical intensive care unit (MICU) in a regional level II trauma center. Data for patients in the MICU were compared for the periods August 3, 2015-August 2, 2016, and August 3, 2014-August 2, 2015. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 nurses and 1 therapist.

Feasibility of preemptive pharmacogenetic testing in colorectal cancer patients within a community oncology setting.

Introduction: Pharmacogenetics, in hand with precision medicine in oncology, represents an opportunity to holistically tailor a patient's treatment regimen using both somatic and germline variants to improve efficacy and decrease toxicity. Colorectal cancer patients represent a population with frequent use of fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan and are an ideal opportunity for implementation of preemptive pharmacogenetics as evidence supports pharmacogenetic testing for and to reduce fluoropyrimidine and irinotecan toxicities.

Methods: This was a single arm proof-of-concept study at a large community-based health system.

Mathematical Analysis of Melanocyte Patterns on .

The study of zebrafish skin pattern development could lead to a better understanding of how these patterns are generated and how they evolved. To compare and contrast wild-type (WT) striped and mutant spotted patterns, photographs were taken of the developing fish. Initial observations led to the hypothesis that the black melanocyte spots in mutants were not randomly distributed, but rather were located in "dashed" stripes.

Preventing Exercise-Associated Collapse Using Online Runner Education: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.

Objective: To determine whether online exercise-associated collapse (EAC) prevention education decreases medical tent EAC visits among first-time marathoners.

Design: A prospective controlled study, with age- and sex-stratified randomization, evaluated rates of medical tent diagnosed EAC among runners randomized to the intervention group and intervention participants, compared with a control group.

Setting: Grandma's Marathon Medical Tent in Duluth, MN, June 2016.

Alcohol Use at the Time of Traumatic Brain Injury: Screening and Brief Intervention in a Community Hospital.

The use of screening and brief interventions (SBI) has been proposed to reduce future alcohol misuse and injury in traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients. As a result a SBI protocol for TBI patients was introduced with nursing training at a community hospital. In the 2 years following the implementation of a SBI protocol and nursing training, the number of patients with positive alcohol results decreased.

Enhancing Risk Assessment in Patients Receiving Chronic Opioid Analgesic Therapy Using Natural Language Processing.

Objectives: Clinical guidelines for the use of opioids in chronic noncancer pain recommend assessing risk for aberrant drug-related behaviors prior to initiating opioid therapy. Despite recent dramatic increases in prescription opioid misuse and abuse, use of screening tools by clinicians continues to be underutilized. This research evaluated natural language processing (NLP) together with other data extraction techniques for risk assessment of patients considered for opioid therapy as a means of predicting opioid abuse.

Neuromuscular Training Availability and Efficacy in Preventing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury in High School Sports: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Objective: To document neuromuscular training (NMT) availability and its relationship to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in 4 major high school sports by gender, sport, and rural/urban geography, with the hypothesis that increased exposure to NMT would be associated with fewer ACL injuries.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: All Minnesota high schools identified in the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) database for fall 2014 boys' football and soccer, and girls' volleyball and soccer.

Predictors of Hospital Length of Stay and Readmissions in Ischemic Stroke Patients and the Impact of Inpatient Medication Management.

Objective: This study was designed to evaluate predictors of hospital length of stay (LOS) and readmissions among nonsurgical ischemic stroke patient, and the impact of inpatient medication management.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study includes adult patients (≥18 years) hospitalized with a diagnosis of nonsurgical ischemic stroke from November 2007 to March 2013. In November 2011, an inpatient medication management model was implemented in the stroke unit.

Comparison of a pharmacist-hospitalist collaborative model of inpatient care with multidisciplinary rounds in achieving quality measures.

Purpose: Results of a study of hospitalization outcomes with the use of a pharmacist-hospitalist collaborative (PHC) model of care as an alternative to multidisciplinary rounds (MDR) are reported.

Methods: In a retrospective matched-cohort study, data on more than 2000 adults discharged from two medical units of a community teaching hospital were analyzed to compare selected outcomes before and after the units augmented traditional hospitalist care (usual care) with either MDR or a PHC care model emphasizing pharmacist involvement in case review and medication management. The study cohorts were matched for primary diagnosis, severity of illness, and other variables.

Effects of Statins on Hospital Length of Stay and All-Cause Readmissions Among Hospitalized Patients With a Primary Diagnosis of Sepsis.

Background: There is little information on the impact of statins on hospital length of stay (LOS) or readmission among patients with sepsis.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the association between statin use and LOS and all-cause readmissions among sepsis patients hospitalized in the medical unit.

Methods: The design was a retrospective propensity score-matched study of adult patients with a primary diagnosis of sepsis from 2007 to 2013.

Animal-related activities as risk factors for injuries among youth on agricultural operations.

Working with animals on agricultural operations is hazardous for youths. This study evaluated the associations between activities and injuries related to specific animal types. A case-control study within the Regional Rural Injury Study II included 425 youths (less than 20 years of age) with injuries related to their operation and 1,886 controls (randomly selected youths).

Whole-foods, plant-based diet alleviates the symptoms of osteoarthritis.

Objective. To evaluate the effectiveness of a whole-foods, plant-based diet (WFPB) to reduce symptoms of osteoarthritis. Methods.

Evaluation of the influence of a pharmacist-led patient-centered medication therapy management and reconciliation service in collaboration with emergency department physicians.

Background: The implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is anticipated to increase the frequency of emergency department (ED) visits. Therefore, there is a critical need to improve the quality of care transitions among ED patients from ED to outpatient services. 

Objective: To evaluate the effect of systematic implementation of a pharmacist-led patient-centered approach to medication therapy management and reconciliation service (MRS) in the ED on patient utilization of available health care services.

Evaluation of the impact of comprehensive medication management services delivered posthospitalization on readmissions and emergency department visits.

Background: The impact of providing cognitive pharmacy services following hospital discharge has been studied with various results. This study is specifically focused on comprehensive medication management services delivered postdischarge in an interprofessional team environment to patients aged >65 years.

Objective: To determine if delivery of comprehensive medication management services postdischarge will prevent hospital readmissions or emergency department visits within 6 months following discharge in patients aged >65 years.

Development and validation of a survey to assess patient-perceived medication knowledge and confidence in medication use.

Background And Purpose: The primary objective of this study is to establish the validity and reliability of a perceived medication knowledge and confidence survey instrument (Okere-Renier Survey).

Methods: Two-stage psychometric analyses were conducted to assess reliability (Cronbach's alpha > .70) of the associated knowledge scale.

Effect of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers on hemoglobin levels.

Background: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) are widely used in the management of congestive heart failure (CHF), diabetes mellitus (DM) and hypertension (HTN). Use of these agents is reported to cause anemia.

Methods: We examined the association between standard care use of ACEI or ARB and subsequent change in hemoglobin (Hgb) in a population of 701 adult primary care patients with DM, CHF and/or HTN.

Maximizing medication therapy management services through a referral initiative.

Purpose: The implementation and effects of an initiative to refer patients to receive medication therapy management (MTM) services after hospital discharge are described.

Methods: A check box to order an MTM appointment was added to the discharge medication order form printed for hospitalized patients in an integrated health system. Hospitalists were informed about MTM services and encouraged to refer hospitalized patients to the service who were at risk for adverse drug events or medication nonadherence.

Treating alcohol withdrawal with oral baclofen: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Abrupt cessation of alcohol intake causes habituated drinkers to experience symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome (AWS).

Objective: To determine the effect of the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-B agonist baclofen on the course of acute symptomatic AWS.

Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study.