Patient Medication Adherence Among Pharmacies Participating in a North Carolina Enhanced Services Network.

Background: Improving medication adherence can reduce health care spending, and studies have demonstrated community pharmacists can positively affect adherence through the provision of enhanced services. The North Carolina (NC) Community Pharmacy Enhanced Services Network (CPESN) was formed in early 2014 with the goal of enhancing the care provided through its network pharmacies.

Objective: To evaluate differences in medication adherence performance scores between pharmacies that participated in the NC-CPESN and control pharmacies in NC that did not.

A Systematic Review of the Effect of Cancer Treatment on Work Productivity of Patients and Caregivers.

Background: Cancer is a leading cause of death with substantial financial costs. While significant data exist on the economic burden of care, less is known about the indirect costs of treatment and, specifically, the effect on work productivity of patients and their caregivers. To examine the full effect of cancer and the potential value of new therapies, all aspects of care, including indirect costs and patient-reported outcomes, should be evaluated.

Exenatide BID and liraglutide QD treatment patterns among type 2 diabetes patients in Germany.

Objectives: This study evaluated patient and prescriber characteristics, treatment patterns, average daily dose (ADD), and glycemic control of patients initiating glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists in Germany.

Methods: The LifeLink™ EMR-EU database was searched to identify patients initiating exenatide twice daily (BID) or liraglutide once daily (QD) during the index period (January 1, 2009-April 4, 2010). Eligible patients had ≥ 180 days pre-index history, ≥ 90 days post-index follow-up, and a pre-index type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Patterns of treatment with chemotherapy and monoclonal antibodies for metastatic colorectal cancer in Western Europe.

Background And Objectives: Treatment outcomes improved in metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) due to the introduction of new chemotherapies and monoclonal antibodies. This study describes current patterns of pharmacological treatment for mCRC in clinical practice in four European countries.

Methods: This cohort study used physician-survey data from the LifeLink Oncology Analyzer Database for mCRC patients in France, Germany, Italy and Spain.

Major surgery in patients with metastatic colorectal cancer in Western europe.

Purpose: Given the potential interference between treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and surgical procedures, we sought to determine the prevalence of major surgery following mCRC diagnosis in clinical practice.

Methods: This cohort study used physician-surveyed data from the LifeLink™ Oncology Analyzer database for mCRC patients in five European countries (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom [UK]). All patients aged ≥21 years at mCRC diagnosis and with data collected during 2009 were included.

Health care costs associated with treatment modification in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients taking oral anti-diabetic drugs.

Objectives: To compare health care costs among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who added a new oral anti-diabetes drug (OAD) to an initial regimen with those who up-titrated their initial OAD.

Methods: Insurance claims data were obtained from 94 health plans for patients aged ≥18 years with ICD-9-CM diagnosis of T2DM during the period Jan. 1, 2001-June 30, 2007, and a newly prescribed metformin or sulfonylurea monotherapy.

Human growth hormone treatment: synthesis of literature on product delivery systems and administration practices.

Purpose: To synthesize current literature on recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) use and to identify areas of research that have received little to no attention in light of administration practice and patient perception/behavior.

Design And Methods: Relevant articles for a systematic review were identified through PubMed.

Results: A total of 43 articles were identified: 9 (15.

Difficult to swallow: patient preferences for alternative valproate pharmaceutical formulations.

Objective: To determine the degree to which swallowing valproate (VP) tablets is an issue, the proportion of patients who would prefer an alternative formulation, and the predictors of preference.

Methods: A quantitative telephone survey of eligible adults (n = 400, >/=18 years old) who currently take (n = 236) or previously took (n = 164) VP tablets within the past 6 months was conducted.

Results: More than half of the patients indicated that VP tablets were 'uncomfortable to swallow' (68.

Prescribing patterns for topical retinoids: analyses of 15 years of data from the national ambulatory medical care survey.

Objective: To examine the prescribing patterns of topical retinoids in the United States.

Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study was employed. Data from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (1990-2004) were used.

Prior authorization for topical psoriasis treatments: is it cost-beneficial for managed care?

Objective: The introduction of novel therapeutic options for psoriasis has raised managed care's interest in controlling costs associated with dermatological treatments. Prior authorization (PA) can be a successful way of managing costs. However, experience with topical treatments for acne suggests that PA may not be cost-effective.

Adjuvant hormonal therapy use among insured, low-income women with breast cancer.

PURPOSE Use of adjuvant hormonal therapy, which significantly decreases breast cancer mortality, has not been well described among poor women, who are at higher risk of cancer-related death. Here we explore use of adjuvant hormonal therapy in an insured, low-income population. METHODS A North Carolina Cancer Registry-Medicaid linked data set was used.

Drug reimportation practices in the United States.

Background: Drug reimportation is perceived as a costs-cutting strategy by Americans. Nonetheless, issues such as drug safety and efficacy prevent legalization of the practice. With the contradictory views from supporters and opponents, debate on drug reimportation continues to snowball.

Understanding medication compliance and persistence from an economics perspective.

Objectives: An increased understanding of the reasons for noncompliance and lack of persistence with prescribed medication is an important step to improve treatment effectiveness, and thus patient health. Explanations have been attempted from epidemiological, sociological, and psychological perspectives. Economic models (utility maximization, time preferences, health capital, bilateral bargaining, stated preference, and prospect theory) may contribute to the understanding of medication-taking behavior.

Depressive symptomatology, medication persistence, and associated healthcare costs in older adults with glaucoma.

Purpose: Depressive symptoms may impact patients' medication use behavior and utilization of healthcare services. This study examined association between depressive symptoms and Glaucoma medication-related persistence and predictors of associated healthcare charges in older adults with primary open angle Glaucoma.

Methods: This study used a retrospective cohort of older adults with primary open angle Glaucoma who completed health status assessment, used Glaucoma medications, and were enrolled in a Medicare Health Maintenance Organization.

Medication adherence and health care costs with the introduction of latanoprost therapy for glaucoma in a Medicare managed care population.

Background: Latanoprost, a prostaglandin inhibitor, is increasingly being used in the therapeutic management of glaucoma. However, there is scant literature examining the cost and outcome ramifications of latanoprost.

Objectives: This study examined the medication use behavior (medication-related persistence and adherence rates) and costs associated with the introduction of latanoprost therapy in a treatment-naive older population (aged >or=65 years) enrolled in Medicare.

Prior authorization of newer insomnia medications in managed care: is it cost saving?

Study Objectives: New pharmacotherapeutic treatment options are available to treat patients with 1 or more insomnia symptoms. However, these new pharmaceuticals are subject to a variety of managed-care tools, such as prior authorizations, that may restrict access to these medications. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic consequences to a health plan that requires prior authorization for nonbenzodiazepine medications approved for the treatment of insomnia characterized by difficulties both falling and staying asleep.

Measures used in specifying psoriasis lesion(s), global disease and quality of life: a systematic review.

Objective: To assess which measures are utilized to quantify lesions, disease severity, and quality of life in the current literature on psoriasis vulgaris.

Methods: A MEDLINE search was performed with the keyword 'psoriasis' and the following limits 'All Adult: 19+ years', 'published in the last 5 years', 'English', 'Randomized Controlled Trial', and 'Humans'. The 'Methods' section of the individual articles were reviewed for inclusion criteria that described the study participants' state of psoriasis or disease generalization at baseline, methods used to classify or measure psoriasis during the study, the primary and secondary endpoints, and the quality of life measures utilized in each study.

How PAs improve access to care for the underserved.

Objective: Increasing health care costs and inaccessibility to care create barriers to physicians' services. The physician assistant (PA) profession developed in part to help care for underserved populations. The objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that poorer patients in outpatient clinics are more likely to see PAs than physicians.

Outcomes associated with the use of biologic agents in moderate to severe psoriasis.

An estimated 2.1% of Americans have psoriasis and approximately 30% of them have moderate to severe psoriasis. Although the disease is not associated with mortality, it has a significant impact on health-related quality of life among patients.

Nonmelanoma skin cancer: is the incidence really increasing among patients younger than 40? A reexamination using 25 years of U.S. outpatient data.

Objective: An increasing incidence of basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas in patients younger than 40 years old diagnosed during years 1973 to 2003 was found in a recent population-based study in Olmsted County, Minnesota. We performed additional analyses using nationally representative patient samples to confirm these trends.

Study Design: We analyzed a cross-sectional survey data on outpatient diagnoses, the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey data from 1979 to 2003, for melanoma skin cancer.

Factors that affect academic performance among pharmacy students.

Objective: The objective of this study was to examine factors such as academic competence, test competence, time management, strategic studying, and test anxiety, and identify whether these factors could distinguish differences among students, based on academic performance and enrollment in the experiential program.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design utilizing questionnaires measuring previously validated constructs was used to evaluate the effect of these factors on students with low and high cumulative grade point averages (GPAs). Pharmacy students (N = 198) enrolled at the University of Houston participated in the study.

Medication adherence and health care costs associated with biologics in Medicaid-enrolled patients with psoriasis.

Background: Costs and patients' adherence related to biologics are important factors to consider while making informed decisions regarding therapy with biologics in psoriasis management.

Objective: To examine predictors of adherence related to biologics, total health care costs, and service utilization among psoriasis patients.

Methods: This was a longitudinal cohort study of psoriasis patients (<65 years old) enrolled in North Carolina Medicaid who were prescribed biologics (alefacept, efalizumab, and etanercept).

Physician and patient characteristics associated with outpatient breast cancer screening recommendations in the United States: analysis of the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey Data 1996-2004.

Background: The primary goal of breast cancer screening tests is to find cancer at an early stage before a person has any symptoms. Evidence suggests that screening examinations such as mammography and clinical breast examinations (CBE) are effective in early detection of breast cancer. Physician recommendation is an important reason many women undergo screening.