Identifying key roles of the pharmacy technician in primary care settings.

Purpose: As the pharmacist's role expands, particularly in primary care practice settings, there is an opportunity for expansion of pharmacy technician duties to aid in administrative and clinical tasks that do not require the pharmacist's professional judgment. Identifying, defining, and expanding the roles of pharmacy technicians has been deemed a key part of the pharmacy practice model. These roles have been shown to enhance pharmacist efficiency and patient outreach; however, examples of the various innovative activities performed by technicians in the primary care setting are lacking in the literature.

Factors Associated With a Higher Risk of Undiagnosed Prediabetes in a Community-Dwelling Medicare Population.

To identify characteristics in an ambulatory Medicare population that are significantly more likely to be associated with a high risk of undiagnosed prediabetes.
Cross-sectional study.
Fourteen health clinics targeting Medicare beneficiaries were held throughout northern and central California during the fall of 2017.

Factors associated with medication-related problems in an ambulatory medicare population and the case for medication therapy management.

Background: Medication-related problems (MRPs) are a major healthcare burden. The rate of MRPs in those ≥65 years old is ∼50 events per 1000 person-years, and contributes to a four-fold higher hospitalization rate when compared to younger patients. Medication therapy management (MTM) can identify MRPs in high-risk patients.

Exploring the Valley of Savings: Minimizing Part D Costs and Optimizing Drug Therapy Outcomes in Medicare Beneficiaries With Developmental Disability.

Nonelderly disabled Medicare beneficiaries have a higher prevalence of chronic conditions, higher utilization of prescription medications, and increased demand for clinical services when compared to beneficiaries 65 years of age and older who are not disabled. Out-of-pocket costs and medication-related problems are major barriers to medication compliance and achievement of therapeutic goals. A school of pharmacy partnered with a nonprofit organization that provides care to individuals with developmental disabilities.

Use of 2015 Beers Criteria Medications by Older Medicare Beneficiaries.

Objective: To examine the prevalence of potentially inappropriate medications (PIMs) in community-dwelling Medicare beneficiaries based on the updated 2015 American Geriatrics Society Beers criteria.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Thirteen mobile Medicare clinics were held throughout Northern and Central California during the fall of 2015.

Impact of tofacitinib on patient outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis - review of clinical studies.

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, progressive autoimmune disease associated with inflammation and destruction of joints and systemic effects, which result in significant impact on patient's quality of life and function. Tofacitinib was approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the USA in 2012 and subsequently in other countries, but not by the European Medicines Agency. The goal of this review was to evaluate the impact of tofacitinib on patient-reported and patient-specific outcomes from prior clinical studies, focusing on quality of life, functionality, pain, global disease assessment, major adverse consequences, and withdrawals.