Utilization and Satisfaction of an On-Demand Telemedicine Service in Urban and Rural Communities.

Health disparities between urban and rural America have been studied extensively, and findings consistently show many inequities. The objective of this study was to evaluate patient experiences and utilization among patients in North Carolina who use telemedicine. A retrospective cohort study was performed to examine the utilization and satisfaction of patients using a virtual care service at a Southeastern Medical Center in the U.

Equitable and timely access to outpatient COVID-19 treatment: A review of centralized workflow implementation at an integrated health system.

Background: During the evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic, health care entities had to adapt to rapidly changing research and best practices in disease prevention and treatment to maintain the delivery of high-quality patient care. Prompt interdisciplinary efforts amongst physician, pharmacist, nursing, and information technology teammates are needed to develop robust centralized strategies to allocate and administer COVID-19 therapies in the ambulatory setting.

Objective: The objective of this analysis is to demonstrate the impact of a system-wide, centralized workflow on referral times and treatment outcomes for COVID-19 infected patients in the ambulatory setting.

Implementation of Postoperative Standard Opioid Prescribing Schedules Reduces Opioid Prescriptions Without Change in Patient-reported Pain Outcomes.

Objective: To implement Standard Opioid Prescribing Schedules (SOPS) based on opioid use following urologic surgeries and to evaluate how evidence-based prescribing schedules affect opioid use and patient reported outcomes.

Methods: Patients who underwent urologic surgeries within 6 procedure subtypes at UNC Health during the 2 study time periods ("pre-SOPS": 7/2017-1/2018, "post-SOPS": 7/2018-1/2019) were invited to complete a survey analyzing postoperative opioid usage, storage and disposal, and patient reported outcomes (including pain interference using a validated questionnaire). A pharmacy database provided medication prescribing data and patient demographics.

Pharmacist perceptions of competency: Identifying priority areas for a competency program development at an academic medical center.

Background: Competency-based education models can serve as valuable resources for providing quality continuing education and professional development in healthcare. However, competency development programs can be stifled by scarce stakeholder involvement and insufficient recognition of resource challenges. Engaging pharmacists in program development can inform program design and prioritization of needs.