Minding the gap and the value of metrics: Count of working pharmacists in the United States.

Background: The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) uses a single Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code (29-1051) that reflects a traditional definition of pharmacist job functions. Pharmacists working in nontraditional roles would be categorized under other SOC codes and not included in the BLS pharmacist count. Knowing the magnitude of how many working pharmacists may not be included in the BLS pharmacist count would help determine whether the gap is a minor margin of error or a significant problem affecting pharmacist workforce projections.

Longitudinal Effects on Metabolic Biomarkers in Veterans 12 Months Following Discharge from Pharmacist-Provided Diabetes Care: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Clinical pharmacist interventions have resulted in optimized diabetes control in complex patients; however, there are no studies examining the durability of achieved outcomes after patients discontinued being seen by the pharmacist. A pharmacist-led comprehensive medication management (CMM) Diabetes Intensive Medication Management (DIMM) “tune up” clinic provided the opportunity to evaluate long-term glycemic control outcomes following clinical discharge. This study used a retrospective cohort study design with a matched primary care provider (PCP) comparison group.

Supporting COVID-19 Vaccine Rollout before Charter Class Arrives: The University of California, Irvine Experience.

Despite numerous challenges in relation to being a recently established school, the University of California, Irvine (UCI) School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (SPPS), similar to many schools of pharmacy in the United States, was highly committed to supporting the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines. UCI SPPS and our affiliated UCI Medical Center (UCIMC) Pharmacy Department partnered to spearhead the pharmacy element of a large-scale COVID-19 vaccination clinic on campus for both employees and the community. Three key initiatives were established in order to overcome the obstacles we faced in the large-scale roll out of COVID-19 vaccines: (1) forging new collaborations within the pharmacy team, (2) leveraging interprofessional education and practice, and (3) raising awareness of the pharmacists' role.

Improved Patient-Reported Medication Adherence, Patient Satisfaction, and Glycemic Control in a Collaborative Care Pharmacist-Led Diabetes "Tune-Up" Clinic.

Diabetes complications remain a leading cause of death, which may be due to poor glycemic control resulting from medication nonadherence. The relationship between adherence status and HbA1c (glycemic control) has not been well-studied for clinical pharmacist interventions. This study evaluated medication adherence, patient satisfaction, and HbA1c, in a collaborative pharmacist-endocrinologist diabetes clinic over 6 months.

Transferring Key Success Factors from Ambulatory Care into the Community Pharmacy in the United States.

In the United States, pharmacists' scope of practice continues to expand, with increasing opportunities for pharmacists in all practice settings to enhance health in society. In ambulatory care, pharmacists remain integral members on the healthcare team and have demonstrated positive impacts on patient care. Sharing similar characteristics as pharmacists in the community setting, a deeper look into common elements of a successful ambulatory care practice that can be applied in the community pharmacy setting is warranted.

Impact of a contactless prescription pickup kiosk on prescription abandonment, patient experience, and pharmacist consultations.

Objective: Investigate the impact of increased access to new and refilled prescriptions by means of an automated pickup kiosk (Asteres ScriptCenter) on prescription abandonment rates, patient experience, and pharmacist consultations.

Design: Nonrandomized, observational study using retrospective, deidentified data from the filling pharmacy, the kiosk, and a pharmacist-completed counseling documentation log over a 35-month study period.

Setting And Participants: Hospital employees opting to use a kiosk located in the lobby with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week access for pickups and a telephone pharmacist consultation service compared with employees using the regular counter at the filling pharmacy.

Aerosol Retention Characteristics of Barrier Devices.

Background: Disease severity in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) may be associated with inoculation dose. This has triggered interest in intubation barrier devices to block droplet exposure; however, aerosol protection with these devices is not known. This study hypothesized that barrier devices reduce aerosol outside of the barrier.

National survey of physicians' perspectives on pharmacogenetic testing in solid organ transplantation.

Introduction: Our objective was to evaluate physicians' perspectives on the clinical utility of pharmacogenetic (PGx) testing in kidney, liver, heart, and lung transplantation (KLHL-Tx).

Methods: A 36-question web-based survey was developed and administered to medical and surgical directors of US KLHL-Tx centers.

Results: There were 82 respondents (10% response rate).

Improved Glycemic Control Outcomes Regardless of Mental Health Disorders in a Pharmacist-Endocrinologist Diabetes Intense Medical Management (DIMM) "Tune Up" Clinic.

Previous studies show patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and a mental health (MH) disorder exhibit poorer glycemic control compared with those without. Compare mean change in glycosylated hemoglobin (A1C) after 6 months in the Diabetes Intense Medical Management (DIMM) "Tune Up" Clinic in patients with and without MH disorders. Retrospective cohort study in T2D patients, with A1C at baseline and 6 months, divided into subgroups of those with ≥1 MH diagnoses and without MH.

Stakeholder perspectives of the clinical utility of pharmacogenomic testing in solid organ transplantation.

To assess stakeholder perspectives regarding the clinical utility of pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing following kidney, liver, and heart transplantation. We conducted individual semi-structured interviews and focus groups with kidney, liver, and heart transplantation patients and providers. We analyzed the qualitative data to identify salient themes.

Advancing Pharmacist Collaborative Care within Academic Health Systems.

Introduction: The scope of pharmacy practice has evolved over the last few decades to focus on the optimization of medication therapy. Despite this positive impact, the lack of reimbursement remains a significant barrier to the implementation of innovative pharmacist practice models.

Summary: We describe the successful development, implementation and outcomes of three types of pharmacist collaborative care models: (1) a pharmacist with physician oversight, (2) pharmacist-interprofessional teams and (3) physician-pharmacist teams.

PaCIR: A tool to enhance pharmacist patient care intervention reporting.

Objectives: To develop a pharmacist patient care services intervention reporting checklist to be used in conjunction with existing primary reporting tools. The tool should enhance consistent reporting of pharmacist patient care interventions. Tool use in pharmacist-patient care intervention reporting may increase: (1) likelihood for inclusion in higher order analyses and (2) successful replication.

Using Standardized Checklists Increase the Completion Rate of Critical Actions in an Evacuation from the Operating Room: A Randomized Controlled Simulation Study.

Introduction: Hospital evacuations of patients with special needs are extremely challenging, and it is difficult to train hospital workers for this rare event.Hypothesis/Problem:Researchers developed an in-situ simulation study investigating the effect of standardized checklists on the evacuation of a patient under general anesthesia from the operating room (OR) and hypothesized that checklists would improve the completion rate of critical actions and decrease evacuation time.

Methods: A vertical evacuation of the high-fidelity manikin (SimMan3G; Laerdal Inc.

Evaluation of a short, interactive diabetes self-management program by pharmacists for type 2 diabetes.

Objective: Numerous barriers prevent patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) from completing a diabetes self-management program. We investigated whether patients with T2D exhibited improved clinical outcomes after attending a relatively short, interactive diabetes self-management program conducted by pharmacist diabetes educators, compared to a physician's usual care.

Results: We retrospectively analyzed the data of adults with T2D who attended a diabetes self-management program (≥ 1 group meeting or individual appointment followed by a telephone interview from a pharmacist diabetes educator between May 2010 and Dec.

Federal and Individual Spending on the 10 Costliest Medications in Medicare Part D from 2011 to 2015.

Access to prescription medications is critical as the U.S. population ages.

Improved Glycemic Control With Minimal Change in Medication Regimen Complexity in a Pharmacist-Endocrinologist Diabetes Intense Medical Management (DIMM) "Tune Up" Clinic.

Background: Gaining glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) usually requires more complicated medication regimens. Increased medication regimen complexity (MRC) negatively impacts adherence and clinical outcomes.

Objective: Compare MRC change in patients with uncontrolled T2D referred to a collaborative pharmacist-endocrinologist Diabetes Intense Medical Management (DIMM) clinic "tune up" model versus similar patients receiving usual primary care provider (PCP) care over 6 months.

Cost of Prescription Drug-Related Morbidity and Mortality.

Background: Public attention and recent US Congressional activity has intensified focus on escalating medication prices. However, the actual cost of medication use extends beyond the up-front cost of purchasing medicines. It also encompasses the additional medical costs of morbidity and mortality resulting from nonoptimized medication regimens, including medication nonadherence.

Student pharmacists' perceptions of immunizations.

Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to explore changes in knowledge level, perceived importance and apprehension of immunizations by first year pharmacy students pre- vs. post-immunization education and training.

Educational Activity: First year pharmacy students at the University of California San Diego Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences (UC San Diego SSPPS) completed a pre- and post-immunization training course questionnaire.

Strategies for addressing the cost of nonadherence in diabetes.

Diabetes accounts for the second largest amount of avoidable healthcare costs in the United States-an estimated $24.6 billion in wasteful and avoidable spending. Diabetes is a lifelong disease that is highly dependent on patient self-management.

Economic impact of and treatment options for type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes and its various comorbidities are responsible for a substantial societal financial burden. Healthcare and managed care providers must take responsibility for and address the high healthcare costs attributed to diabetes care. They can work together to improve diabetes-related patient care and reduce costs.

Medication Regimen Complexity in Long-Term Care Facilities and Adverse Drug Events-Related Hospitalizations.

Adverse drug events (ADE) are a leading cause of mortality in the United States. Recent studies have demonstrated a high level of complex medication regimens in institutionalized residents. Evidence of the relationship between medication regimen complexity (MRC) and ADE-related rehospitalizations or emergency department (ED) visits is evolving.