Identification of cancer chemotherapy regimens and patient cohorts in administrative claims: challenges, opportunities, and a proposed algorithm.

Background: Real-world evidence is a valuable source of information in healthcare. This study describes the challenges and successes during algorithm development to identify cancer cohorts and multi-agent chemotherapy regimens from claims data to perform a comparative effectiveness analysis of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) use.

Methods: Using the Biologics and Biosimilars Collective Intelligence Consortium's Distributed Research Network, we iteratively developed and tested a de novo algorithm to accurately identify patients by cancer diagnosis, then extract chemotherapy and G-CSF administrations for a retrospective study of prophylactic G-CSF.

An Exploratory Study of Pharmacist Perceptions of Opioid Interventions for Acute Pain.

As the last health care provider encountered before an opioid is dispensed, pharmacists have a vital role in reducing unnecessary opioid exposure while facilitating access to non-opioid alternatives. To characterize pharmacist perceptions in providing interventions for patients with an opioid prescription for acute pain. This cross-sectional survey was administered over 3 months to pharmacy preceptors affiliated with the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Pharmacy.

Factors associated with medication nonadherence among Medicare low-income subsidy beneficiaries with diabetes, hypertension, and/or heart failure.

Previous studies have documented factors influencing medication nonadherence among the Medicare population, but few studies have examined medication nonadherence among the Medicare low-income subsidy (LIS) population. Furthermore, little is known about the factors associated with nonadherence among this population, especially those with prevalent chronic conditions such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or heart failure. To examine factors associated with the likelihood of medication nonadherence among Medicare LIS recipients with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, or heart failure.

Effects of the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines on racial and ethnic disparities in statin treatment among diabetics.

Background: Significant racial and ethnic disparities in statin prescribing and utilization have been constantly documented.

Objective: To examine whether racial/ethnic disparities in statin treatment have decreased among the diabetic population after the release of the 2013 American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) guidelines.

Methods: This retrospective study analyzed patients with diabetes aged 40-75 years old in the Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey (2011-2012 and 2014-2015).