Utilization of Pharmacy Technicians to Increase the Accuracy of Patient Medication Histories Obtained in the Emergency Department.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of a pharmacy technician-collected medication history pilot program in the emergency department. This was completed by reviewing all elements of the technician activity by direct observation and by verifying the technician-collected medication list through a second phone call by a pharmacist to the outpatient pharmacy.

Methods: This was a retrospective, single-center study conducted from March to April 2015.

The cost of opioid-related adverse drug events.

Opioids are the cornerstone of pain management; however, their use is associated with a variety of adverse drug events (ADEs) ranging from nausea and vomiting to urinary retention and respiratory depression. The purpose of this review is to describe the frequency and cost associated with different types of opioid-related ADEs to better understand their economic impact. A search of studies published in journals from 1946 to December, 2013, was conducted using MEDLINE and EMBASE.