Using pharmacy technicians and electronic health record capabilities to improve outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Objective: This study aimed to compare lipid and blood pressure (BP) control before and after implementing a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT) protocol that optimized electronic health record (EHR) capabilities and shifted work from clinical pharmacy specialists (CPSs) to CPhT.

Setting: Kaiser Permanente Colorado's pharmacist-managed cardiac risk reduction service (which manages dyslipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes for all patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease).

Practice Description: In 2019, a protocol that optimized EHR capabilities and allowed work to be offloaded from CPS to CPhT was implemented.

The Intersectionality of Activism and Public Health in New York State: Can Labor/Health and Safety Move Addiction Recovery Forward?

People affected by overdose deaths are advocating for prevention and increased access to treatment. Activist coalitions challenged the deadly impact of stigma, discrimination, and inadequate access to life-saving substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health care. Advocacy by coalitions resulted in federal and state funding and legislation, improving access to care.

Evolution, current structure, and role of a primary care clinical pharmacy service in an integrated managed care organization.

The impact of the declining number of primary care physicians is exacerbated by a growing elderly population in need of chronic disease management. Primary care clinical pharmacy specialists, with their unique knowledge and skill set, are well suited to address this gap. At Kaiser Permanente of Colorado (KPCO), primary care clinical pharmacy specialists have a long history of integration with medical practices and are located in close proximity to physicians, nurses, and other members of the health care team.