Data resource profile: COVid VAXines effects on the aged (COVVAXAGE).

Background: To improve the assessment of COVID-19 vaccine use, safety, and effectiveness in older adults and persons with complex multimorbidity, the COVid VAXines Effects on the Aged (COVVAXAGE) database was established by linking CVS Health and Walgreens pharmacy customers to Medicare claims.

Methods: We deterministically linked CVS Health and Walgreens customers who had a pharmacy dispensation/encounter paid for by Medicare to Medicare enrollment and claims records. Linked data include U.

Racial and ethnic disparities in COVID-19 booster vaccination among U.S. older adults differ by geographic region and Medicare enrollment.

Introduction: COVID-19 booster vaccines are highly effective at reducing severe illness and death from COVID-19. Research is needed to identify whether racial and ethnic disparities observed for the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccines persist for booster vaccinations and how those disparities may vary by other characteristics. We aimed to measure racial and ethnic differences in booster vaccine receipt among U.

Validation of reduced S-gene target performance and failure for rapid surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 variants.

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, has many variants capable of rapid transmission causing serious illness. Timely surveillance of new variants is essential for an effective public health response. Ensuring availability and access to diagnostic and molecular testing is key to this type of surveillance.

Effect of educational and financial incentive-based interventions on immunization attitudes, beliefs, intentions and receipt among close contacts of pregnant women.

Introduction: Cocooning, the vaccination of close contacts of a newborn, is a strategy to limit the risk of pertussis and influenza infection among vulnerable infants.

Methods: Pregnant women in Colorado and Georgia referred close contacts to an app that provided tailored educational videos about vaccines along with a small pharmacy-based financial incentive for vaccine receipt. The primary objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of implementing this app-based cocooning intervention.

Costs and Cost-Effectiveness of the Patient-Centered HIV Care Model: A Collaboration Between Community-Based Pharmacists and Primary Medical Providers.

Background: The patient-centered HIV care model (PCHCM) is an evidence-informed structural intervention that integrates community-based pharmacists with primary medical providers to improve rates of HIV viral suppression. This report assesses the costs and cost-effectiveness of the PCHCM.

Setting: Patient-centered HIV care model.

Work System and Process Designs for Community Pharmacy-Medical Clinic Partnerships to Improve Retention in Care, Antiretroviral Adherence, and Viral Suppression in Persons with HIV.

The objective of this project was to collect and analyze information about work systems and processes that community pharmacy-medical clinic partnerships used for implementing the Patient-Centered HIV Care Model (PCHCM). Paired collaborations of 10 Walgreens community pharmacies and 10 medical clinics were formed in 10 cities located throughout the United States that had relatively high HIV prevalence rates and existing Walgreens HIV Centers of Excellence. Patient service provision data and most significant change stories were collected from key informants at each of the clinic and pharmacy sites over an 8 week period in 2016 and through in-depth phone interviews.

Improvements in Retention in Care and HIV Viral Suppression Among Persons with HIV and Comorbid Mental Health Conditions: Patient-Centered HIV Care Model.

The Patient-centered HIV Care Model (PCHCM) integrated community-based pharmacists with medical providers and required sharing of patient clinical information and collaborative therapy-related action planning. We determined the proportions of participants with HIV and mental health conditions who were retained in care and the proportion virally suppressed, pre- and post-implementation. Overall, we found a relative 13% improvement in both retention [60% to 68% (p = 0.

Prevalence of Universal Medication Schedule prescribing and links to adherence.

Purpose: A Universal Medication Schedule (UMS) that uses explicit language to describe when to take medicine has been proposed as a patient-centered prescribing and dispensing standard. Despite widespread support, evidence of its actual use and efficacy is limited. We investigated the prevalence of UMS instructions and whether their use was associated with higher rates of medication adherence.

A cross-sectional study of physical activity participation among adults with chronic conditions participating in a digital health program.

Objective: Many American adults are insufficiently active. Digital health programs are designed to motivate this population to engage in regular physical activity and often rely on wearable devices and apps to objectively measure physical activity for a large number of participants. The purpose of this epidemiological study was to analyze the rates of physical activity among participants in a digital health program.

Epidemiologic and economic impact of pharmacies as vaccination locations during an influenza epidemic.

Introduction: During an influenza epidemic, where early vaccination is crucial, pharmacies may be a resource to increase vaccine distribution reach and capacity.

Methods: We utilized an agent-based model of the US and a clinical and economics outcomes model to simulate the impact of different influenza epidemics and the impact of utilizing pharmacies in addition to traditional (hospitals, clinic/physician offices, and urgent care centers) locations for vaccination for the year 2017.

Results: For an epidemic with a reproductive rate (R0) of 1.

Impact of late-to-refill reminder calls on medication adherence in the Medicare Part D population: evaluation of a randomized controlled study.

Objectives: This study evaluates a nationwide pharmacy chain's late-to-refill (LTR) reminder program that entails local pharmacists placing reminder calls to Medicare Part D patients.

Methods: We conducted a randomized controlled study among 735,218 patients who exhibited nonadherent behavior by not refilling a maintenance medication 3 days from an expected refill date. Patients were randomly assigned to an intervention group who received LTR reminder calls or to a control group.

A National Assessment of Medication Adherence to Statins by the Racial Composition of Neighborhoods.

Adherence to statins is lower in black and Hispanic patients and is linked to racial/ethnic disparities in cardiovascular mortality. Poverty, education, and prescription coverage differentials are typically invoked to explain adherence disparities, but analyses at the level of neighborhoods and their pharmacies may provide additional insights. Among individuals filling new statin prescriptions in a national pharmacy chain (N = 326,171), we compared adherence for patients residing in mostly minority neighborhoods to those living in mainly white areas.

Improving Medication Adherence and Health Care Outcomes in a Commercial Population through a Community Pharmacy.

The aim was to evaluate the impact of a multifaceted set of medication management interventions offered by a community pharmacy on adherence, health care utilization, and costs within a commercial population. Patients initiating therapy within 16 drug classes from February 7, 2013, to October 6, 2013, were offered various adherence interventions by Walgreens pharmacy. Patients were linked deterministically to IMS medical and prescription databases for 6-month pre- and post-index data analysis.

Improving pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccination uptake: expanding pharmacist privileges.

Objective: To investigate how state-authorized pharmacist immunization privileges influence pharmacist intervention effectiveness in delivering pneumococcal and herpes zoster vaccinations and assess the implications these privileges have on vaccination rates.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study of Walgreens vaccination records from August 2011 to March 2012.

Methods: A random sample of patients having a claim for influenza vaccination in the study period was selected.

Vaccinations administered during off-clinic hours at a national community pharmacy: implications for increasing patient access and convenience.

Purpose: Approximately 50,000 adults die annually from vaccine-preventable diseases in the United States. Most traditional vaccine providers (eg, physician offices) administer vaccinations during standard clinic hours, but community pharmacies offer expanded hours that allow patients to be vaccinated at convenient times. We analyzed the types of vaccines administered and patient populations vaccinated during off-clinic hours in a national community pharmacy, and their implications for vaccination access and convenience.

Planning influenza vaccination programs: a cost benefit model.

Background: Although annual influenza vaccination could decrease the significant economic and humanistic burden of influenza in the United States, immunization rates are below recommended levels, and concerns remain whether immunization programs can be cost beneficial. The research objective was to compare cost benefit of various immunization strategies from employer, employee, and societal perspectives.

Methods: An actuarial model was developed based on the published literature to estimate the costs and benefits of influenza immunization programs.

Diabetes disease management in Medicare Advantage reduces hospitalizations and costs.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a telephonic diabetes disease management intervention in a Medicare Advantage population with comorbid diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD).

Study Design: Prospective unequal randomization design of 526 members from a Medicare Advantage segment of one region of a large national health plan from May 2005 through April 2007.

Methods: High-risk and high-cost patients with diabetes and CAD who were enrolled in telephonic diabetes disease management were compared with a randomly selected comparison group receiving usual care.

Incentives and other factors associated with employee participation in health risk assessments.

Objectives: Investigate factors associated with employee participation rates in health risk assessments.

Methods: This cross-sectional study using multiple regression analyzed data from 124 employers with 882,275 eligible employees who completed 344,825 health and productivity assessments (HPAs).

Results: Incentive value and Communications and Organizational Commitment Level (Com/Org Level) were the strongest predictors of HPA completion rates.

Narcotic drug use among patients with lower back pain in employer health plans: a retrospective analysis of risk factors and health care services.

Objective: This study examines the risk factors of narcotic drug use, medical and pharmacy claim costs, and health services use among lower back pain (LBP) patients who use narcotic medications.

Methods: This retrospective study used administrative claims data between September 2002 and March 2004 from 3 employer health plans that collectively contained records of 165,569 employees 18 to 64 years of age. Multivariate regression analyses were performed to examine risk factors and health care services use consequences of narcotic drug use in patients with LBP.