Preferred Educational Programming Among Graduate Students and Post-doctoral Fellows at Pharmacy Schools: a Pilot Survey.

Objective: To inform program development, the AACP Graduate Education Special Interest Group Colleagues in Training Committee (CITC) investigated professional development needs of graduate students and post-doctoral fellows at schools/colleges of pharmacy.

Methods: A cross-sectional pilot survey examined preferred programming topics, mentoring needs, and career goals. A survey invitation was posted on AACP Connect and emailed to Graduate Program Officers and Assistant/Associate Deans for Research at US pharmacy schools/colleges for distribution to trainees.

Qualitative analysis of community pharmacy-based COVID-19 immunization service operations.

Background: The unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has generated worldwide impacts while positioning community pharmacies as easily accessible immunizers to rollout the COVID-19 vaccine.

Objectives: This study describes community pharmacists' experiences, success stories, and lessons learned from providing COVID-19 immunization services.

Methods: This study was conducted in February to March 2022 using semistructured interviews with licensed pharmacists practicing full-time in Alabama community pharmacies.

Current published evidence on barriers and proposed strategies for genetic testing implementation in health care settings: A scoping review.

Background: The slow uptake of genetic testing in routine clinical practice warrants the attention of researchers and practitioners to find effective strategies to facilitate implementation.

Objectives: This study aimed to identify the barriers to and strategies for pharmacogenetic testing implementation in a health care setting from published literature.

Methods: A scoping review was conducted in August 2021 with an expanded literature search using Ovid MEDLINE, Web of Science, International Pharmaceutical Abstract, and Google Scholar to identify studies reporting implementation of pharmacogenetic testing in a health care setting, from a health care system's perspective.

A state-wide education program on opioid use disorder: influential community members' knowledge, beliefs, and opportunities for coalition development.

Background: Deep South states, particularly Alabama, experience disproportionately higher opioid prescribing rates versus national rates. Considering limited opioid use disorder (OUD) providers in this region, collaborative efforts between non-healthcare professionals is critical in mitigating overdose mortality. The Alabama Opioid Training Institute (OTI) was created in 2019 to empower community members to take action in combatting OUD in local regions.

Primary Care Physicians', Psychiatrists', and Oncologists' Coordination While Prescribing Medications for Patients With Multiple Chronic Conditions.

Objectives: Coordination of medication prescribing is important in the care of patients with multiple chronic conditions (MCC) given the involvement of multiple providers and multiple medications used to manage MCC. The objective of this study was to identify physician and practice factors associated with physicians' coordination of prescribing for complex patients with MCC.

Methods: Our cross-sectional study used a 33-item anonymous, online survey to assess physicians' coordination practices while prescribing for patients with MCC.

Individuals' preference for financial over social incentives for medication adherence.

Background: Patients with chronic conditions continue to face financial and system-related barriers to medication adherence. Pharmacy, provider, and payer-based financial and social incentive-based interventions may reduce these barriers and improve adherence. However, it is unclear how patient demographics and clinical characteristics influence the type of incentives preferred by patients.

Perceived appropriateness of medication adherence incentives.

50% of prescriptions dispensed in the United States are not taken as prescribed, leading to approximately 125,000 deaths and 10% of hospitalizations per year. Incentives are effective in improving medication adherence; however, information about patient perceptions regarding incentives is lacking. To (1) explore perceived appropriateness of incentives among patients prescribed at least 1 medication for chronic hypertension, hyperlipidemia, heart disease, diabetes, and/or asthma/chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and (2) examine associations between perceived appropriateness and patient characteristics.

Qualitative exploration of factors influencing the plan selection process by Medicare beneficiaries.

Because Medicare plan coverage and costs change annually and older adults, the major beneficiaries of Medicare, are faced with multiple health conditions and changing medical needs, Medicare beneficiaries should evaluate their options during open enrollment every year. However, because of the complexity of plan selection, it may be challenging for Medicare beneficiaries to make an appropriate decision from among competing options. To (a) identify factors that beneficiaries consider having influenced their plan selection decision and (b) describe the decision-making process according to the consumer decision-making model (CDM).

Patient preferences for medication adherence financial incentive structures: A discrete choice experiment.

Background: Medication adherence for chronic conditions continues to be a challenge for patients. Patient incentives for medication adherence may help. Financial incentives delivered at the point of care may act as cues for medication-taking behavior.

Patient and caregiver opinions about an FDA-developed generic drug educational handout: A pilot cross-sectional survey.

Objective: To examine patient and caregiver opinions and "receptivity" regarding generic drug educational material in terms of content, format and design, delivery channel, and level of satisfaction.

Methods: Interviewer-administered surveys were conducted with patients and caregivers who were clients of a regional medication management program or pharmacy services clinic to gather perceptions about generic drugs and input on a generic drug educational handout developed by the U.S.

Implementation of a Urinary Tract Infection Treatment Protocol to Improve Prescribing Practices in the Long-Term Care Facility of a Veteran's Healthcare System.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a commonly diagnosed problem in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), but antimicrobial treatment is often incorrectly prescribed. Although bacterial resistance to antimicrobials commonly used for UTIs, such as trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole and fluoroquinolones, has been dramatically increasing, they are still commonly prescribed. The purpose of this project was to determine if implementation of a standard treatment protocol for UTIs, which emphasized correct UTI diagnosis and use of nitrofurantoin and cefpodoxime/ceftriaxone as empiric therapy per the institutional antibiogram, changed clinician prescribing practices.

Assessment of student performance on a mock new prescription counseling session and an objective structured clinical examination across five years.

Introduction: New prescription counseling (NPC) provides vital information to patients regarding newly prescribed medications to improve treatment outcomes. This evaluation's goals were to describe the implementation of teaching and assessment methods incorporated into an NPC module across two courses at Auburn University and evaluate student performance on assessments of NPC skills over five years.

Methods: Assessments included self and peer evaluations of a recorded mock NPC session, NPC objective structured clinical examination (OSCE), and overall course grade.

Healthcare provider opinions about a generic drug educational newsletter.

Background: Increasing the prescribing and dispensing of generic drugs, compared to branded drugs, may increase patient access to affordable drug treatments. Healthcare providers have information needs regarding generic drugs, but available, tailored education materials designed for provider use are lacking.

Objectives: To examine healthcare provider opinions and receptivity regarding generic drug educational materials in content, format and design, delivery channel, and level of satisfaction.

Patient perspectives on primary care and oncology care coordination in the context of multiple chronic conditions: A systematic review.

Background: Patients' views on the optimal model for care coordination between primary care providers (PCPs) and oncologists in the context of cancer and multiple chronic conditions (MCC) are unclear. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review is to evaluate the perceptions of patients with both cancer and MCC regarding their care coordination needs.

Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, the literature was systematically searched through PubMed, CINAHL, and PsycINFO for articles pertaining to patients' perspectives, experiences, and needs regarding care coordination between PCPs and oncologists during the cancer care continuum, in the context of patients with cancer and MCC.

How comfortable are primary care physicians and oncologists prescribing medications for comorbidities in patients with cancer?

Background: Treating cancer and existing chronic comorbidities requires a dynamic mix of primary care and specialist providers. However, little is known regarding primary care physicians' (PCPs) and oncologists' comfort level prescribing for comorbid conditions.

Objectives: The objectives of this study were to describe oncologists' and PCPs': 1) comfort-level prescribing, 2) perceptions of providers' role in prescribing cardiometabolic and psychiatric medications in persons with cancer and comorbidity, and 3) provider factors associated with comfort-levels.

Developing a Theoretical Framework for Evaluating the Quality of mHealth Apps for Adolescent Users: A Systematic Review.

Objective: To assess adolescents' preferred mobile app features and to propose a framework for evaluating health-related mobile apps for adolescents.

Methods: PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ERIC, HealthIT.gov, and ClinicalTrials.

Communicating benefits and risks of generic drugs to consumers: Patient and caregiver opinions of two FDA-developed educational materials.

Background: Increasing prescribing and dispensing of generic drugs, compared to brand drugs, may increase patient access to affordable medications. However, little is known about patients' and caregivers' needs and receptiveness regarding the design of educational materials about generic drugs.

Methods: The research used focus groups of patients and caregivers who were students or employees of one university in the Southeastern U.

Using the Theory of Planned Behavior to determine pharmacy students' intention to participate in hormonal contraception counseling services.

Introduction: Recent policies allow some pharmacists to prescribe hormonal birth control, which may improve access to hormonal contraceptives. This study explored associations between student pharmacists' hormonal contraception knowledge, attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control to counseling intentions, and preferred learning methods.

Methods: A cross-sectional online survey was developed to assess student pharmacists' hormonal contraception knowledge, perceptions, and counseling intentions.

Association between Higher Generic Drug Use and Medicare Part D Star Ratings: An Observational Analysis.

Background: Increasing generic drug use, due to potential for cost savings and drug access, is a viable consideration for Medicare prescription drug plans to achieve high star ratings and improve quality of plan offerings for Medicare beneficiaries.

Objective: To examine the association between contract-level proportion of generic drugs dispensed (pGDD) and Medicare Part D star ratings.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of linked 2011 Medicare Part D star rating data with contract-level pGDD data.

Continuity of Medication Management among Adults with Schizophrenia and Comorbid Cardiometabolic Conditions.

Objectives: Adults with schizophrenia and cardiometabolic conditions may be good candidates for co-management by primary care prescribers and specialists. Associated risks for discontinuity in medication management have not been well-studied. This study examines whether medication adherence, inpatient admissions, and emergency department (ED) visits vary by the number and types of prescribers seen by adults with schizophrenia and cardiometabolic conditions.

How Do Pharmacists Assist Medicare Beneficiaries with Limited Income? A Cross-Sectional Study of Community Pharmacies in Alabama.

Background: Many Medicare beneficiaries have limited income and report problems paying for their medications. Programs are available to assist these low-income individuals. However, these programs are underused because of lack of general awareness and perceived complexity of program applications.

The impact of combined use of fall-risk medications and antithrombotics on injury severity and intracranial hemorrhage among older trauma patients.

Purpose: Use of fall-risk medications (medications that increase risk of falling in the elderly as defined by Beers criteria, STOPP/START criteria, and other literature) or antithrombotics is common in the elderly, and the impact of their concomitant use should be assessed in regards to fall injuries. The primary objective of this study is to assess the simultaneous outpatient use of fall-risk medications and antithrombotics in elderly fall-patients, and secondarily to analyze the injury severity score and occurrence of intracranial hemorrhage.

Methods: Consecutive chart review at a level 2 trauma center in California, USA from August 01, 2009 to October 31, 2010.