Impact of pharmacist prescribing through direct pharmacy access policies on access to hormonal contraception.

Background/objective: This study assesses the impact of direct pharmacy access (DPA) policies that allow pharmacists to prescribe hormonal contraceptives on women's access by comparing access among 3 groups: (1) women in a state without DPA (Indiana), (2) women in a state with DPA, but not using DPA, and (3) women in a state with DPA and using DPA.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey, including a scale to measure access to contraceptives, perception items, and demographics, was distributed through Amazon Mechanical Turk (Amazon.com, Inc).

A mixed-methods study of pharmacy instructors' early experiences with a teaching electronic medical record.

Introduction: As use of electronic medical records (EMRs) increases in healthcare, multiple accreditation organizations recommend training future clinicians on EMRs as part of the academic curriculum. Therefore, some pharmacy programs now utilize an academic EMR. Our objective was to examine pharmacy instructors' early experiences with a commercially available teaching EMR (tEMR) in order to identify current and future priorities along with benefits and barriers to academic EMR use in pharmacy education.

Pharmacy Student Perceptions and Preferences of In-person Versus Video-Recorded Evaluations in Skills-Based Courses.

To determine pharmacy students' preferences for and perceptions of in-person and video evaluations. A mixed methods survey was administered to 447 first-, second-, and third-year students enrolled in a public US Doctor of Pharmacy program. A survey instrument with 14 quantitative items and four qualitative items was used to measure student perceptions.

Perceptions of working conditions and safety concerns in community pharmacy.

Background/objective: Working conditions within community pharmacy can impact pharmacists and their ability to provide safe patient care. The objective of this study was to determine pharmacists' perceptions of working conditions while controlling for respondent (years of experience, degree, work status) and workplace variables (prescription volume, type of community setting).

Methods: This mixed-methods study used a cross-sectional survey to investigate community pharmacists' perceptions of company climate (at the store level, corporate level, as well as fear of discipline), workflow issues, and career satisfaction.

Opioid prescribing and health outcomes in opioid-naive patients: Analysis of a statewide health information exchange.

Background: Widespread use of prescription opioids is associated with adverse outcomes.

Objective: To identify factors associated with adverse health outcomes and health care use using a statewide health information exchange.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study using the Indiana Network for Patient Care.

Policy solutions to address community pharmacy working conditions.

Objective: Increasing attention has been drawn to poor working conditions in community pharmacy, the impact on patient safety, and the role of pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) in the United States. This study assessed community pharmacists' perceptions of potential solutions to improve working conditions.

Methods: This mixed-methods, survey-based study explored pharmacists' proposed solutions for improving working conditions.

Pharmacy students' perspectives on the initial implementation of a teaching electronic medical record: results from a mixed-methods assessment.

Background: Electronic medical records (EMRs) have been used for nearly three decades. Pharmacists use EMRs on a daily basis, but EMRs have only recently been incorporated into pharmacy education. Some pharmacy programs have implemented teaching electronic medical records (tEMRs), but best practices for incorporating tEMRs into pharmacy education remain unknown.

Pharmacists' impact on older adults' access to vaccines in the United States.

Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to explore pharmacists' impact on older adults' access to vaccines in terms of realized accessibility, financial accessibility, and vaccine availability.

Methods: Five databases were searched using a search strategy developed in PubMed and translated to other databases. Included studies were English-language, United States-based primary literature published between 1994 to present day.

Social and legislative shaping of access to contraceptives and the pharmacist's role: A literature review.

Background: Despite years of research and numerous policies, access to contraceptives in the United States remains imperfect. Largely due to lack of access to contraceptives, unintended pregnancy rates remain high.

Objective: To provide researchers and policy-makers with a comprehensive review of the legislative and social landscape that has shaped contraceptive access in the United States, which may help to guide future research and policies.