INNOVATIONS in pharmacy (Iip - E-Journal)
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Ohio Community Pharmacist Interest and Participation in Community-Clinical Linkages
Full text linkBackground: Community-clinical linkages have been promoted as a means to improve population health. The community pharmacy is an ideal location for these partnerships to occur due to the expertise of the community pharmacist. While the need for these partnerships exists, there are limited data regarding community pharmacists’ current participation in such programs.
Objective: The purpose of this analysis was to assess Ohio community pharmacists’ involvement and interest in community-clinical linkages.
Methods: An electronic survey tool containing 26 questions was developed to assess Ohio community pharmacists’ participation in community-clinical linkages and interest to develop such partnerships. The tool was sent via email to a random sample of 500 pharmacists registered in Ohio and practicing in a community setting. Chi-square or Fisher exact nonparametric statistical tests were used as appropriate to identify whether there were any significant differences in current partnership or interest to partner with a prescriber who refers patients to their community pharmacy based on education (Bachelor of Science or Doctor of Pharmacy degree) or pharmacy location (urban, suburban, or rural).
Results: Nine emails were undeliverable, leaving a sample of 491 pharmacists. Ninety-three (19%) responded to the survey. Sixteen respondents (17%) indicated that they currently partner with a prescriber who refers patients to their pharmacy for assistance with medications or chronic disease state management; this practice was more often reported in urban settings (p=0.022). Of those not currently participating in such a partnership, 53 (57%) were interested in developing one. Thirty-two respondents (34%) reported providing referrals for at least 1 type of screening or counseling service. For some types of services, pharmacists reported that they provide the service in the pharmacy and/or were interested to develop the service in the pharmacy rather than provide a referral. However, for any given service there were a number of pharmacists who expressed interest in providing referrals although they were not currently doing so.
Conclusion: This sample of Ohio community pharmacists reported limited participation in community-clinical linkages but interest to develop them. Further studies should explore the pharmacists’ role and impact in such programs.
Article Type: Original Researc
Consumer and Community Pharmacists’ Perceptions of Online Pharmacy Services in Uyo Metropolis, Nigeria
Full text linkBackground: Online pharmacies benefit consumer healthcare experience through affording convenience, efficiency, greater confidentiality, and improved access to medicines. There are several online pharmacies in Nigeria, however, studies about their use as well as consumer and pharmacists’ perceptions of the service are lacking.
Objective: This study aimed to evaluate community pharmacists’ and consumer perceptions of online pharmacy services (OPS) in Uyo metropolis, Nigeria.
Method: This was a cross-sectional survey involving community pharmacists and consumers. The survey instrument was a structured, self-administered questionnaire. Survey data was analysed descriptively using frequencies and percentages while X2 was used to evaluate association between variables.
Results: In total, 60 community pharmacists and 500 consumers replied to the survey. Although the majority (>85%) of the survey respondents reported frequent internet use, only about a third (28%) of the consumers and 57% of the pharmacists were aware of the availability of online pharmacy services in Nigeria. In general, majority of the consumers were positive about using online pharmacies with approximately two thirds (67%) indicating that they would consider purchasing medicines from the service in future. Also, 83% of the consumers indicated that access to online drug information and medicine advice via the service will be valuable. There was a significant (P<0.05) association between consumers’ online shopping behaviour and their likelihood to use the service. Also, majority (92%) of the community pharmacists in this survey agreed that online pharmacies promote pharmaceutical care and this perceived need was associated with their likelihood to provide the service in future (p=0.002). Consumer concerns about the service included the risk of substandard and counterfeit medicines, internet security, unavailability of prescribed brands, chances of ordering wrong medicines and uncertainty about timely delivery.
Conclusion: Overall awareness of the availability of online pharmacy services in Nigeria is limited in the survey population despite reported frequent internet use in this cohort. Generally, our findings suggest the potential for future uptake of online pharmacy services and highlight the need for a standardised approach to service provision as well as a regulatory framework to improve consumer confidence and alleviate the concerns raised.
Article Type: Original Researc
Impact of Achieved Tenure and Promotion on Faculty Research Productivity at a School of Pharmacy
Full text linkObjective: Critics of the promotion and tenure system contend that promotion and tenure may lead to a decline in research productivity (“dead wood phenomena”) by those faculty. To assess this perception, we compiled the publications and grants at the time of application for promotion, and again through 2017 for the same faculty following promotion and/or tenure.
Methods: Promotion documents at a school of pharmacy at a public Midwestern university were assessed. Mean publication rates and grant dollars per year per faculty member were compared to the same group of faculty (n=13) pre and post-promotion.
Results: At the time of promotion to associate professor, mean numbers of total publications per year per faculty in the pharmacy practice department were 1.1, compared to 1.4 post-promotion. For pharmaceutical sciences department faculty, corresponding means were 5.0 and 4.1, respectively. At the time of promotion to full professor, mean numbers of total publications per year for pharmacy practice faculty were 7.0, compared to 7.2 post-promotion. For pharmaceutical sciences faculty, corresponding means were 3.5 and 4.7, respectively. For grant activity, both associate professors and full professors increased the mean total dollars per year from pre-promotion to post-promotion for both departments.
Conclusion: Research productivity at this school of pharmacy continues to be either maintained or increased since promotion for the collective group of faculty. This evidence runs counter to the perception that promotion and tenure may lead to decreased scholarly productivity. The study provides a roadmap for other schools/colleges to quantify research productivity and make comparisons to national mean levels reported in the literature.
Article Type: Original Researc
A Review of the Pharmacist as Vaccinator
Full text linkObjective: The aim of this study is to review literature about how the pharmacist’s role as vaccination providers has been financially and clinically measured.
Methods: A broad literature search was conducted up to May 2016 to identify economic or clinical data on pharmacy vaccinations. MEDLINE® and PUBMED databases were searched for publications useful or potentially useful for this review. The NIH and CDC websites were also searched for relevant materials. Search terms included vaccination, pharmacist, economic, pharmacoeconomics, cost, benefits cost-effectiveness, physicians, immunizations, vaccinations, pharmacy vaccines, cost, physician vaccines, financial, benefit, ambulatory pharmacist vaccination, clinical pharmacist, economics, pharmacist vaccine impact.
Results: The search yielded a total of 68 articles of which 12 met the criteria to be included in this review. After examining articles for relevance to pharmacy vaccinations, two tables were created to highlight the clinical and economic advantages of the pharmacist as a vaccinator.
Conclusion: Pharmacists who administer vaccines are an underutilized provider. This literature review reveals a pattern among studies measuring the pharmacist’s impact on vaccination rates, patient preferences, and cost savings. Pharmacists have a history of demonstrated dependability, accuracy, and cost effectiveness. State laws, collaborative agreements, and health plans have continued to prevent patients from using the pharmacy to receive the CDC recommended vaccines. These barriers ultimately delay the Healthy People 2020 goals.
Article Type: Revie
Pockets of Inequality in the Distribution of U.S. Pharmacists’ Wages and Salaries: A Gender Comparison
Full text linkBackground: The literature contains conflicting arguments regarding inequalities in the distribution of U.S. pharmacists’ wages and salaries and the existence of a gender earnings gap. Some authors argue that the dispersion is small compared to other professions and there is no gap; others report that after controlling for number of hours worked, human-capital stock, and job-related preferences, male pharmacists earn higher wages and salaries than female pharmacists.
Objectives: Estimate the central tendency and spread of wages and salaries of pharmacists practicing in the U.S., compare earning levels of male and female pharmacists, and examine the pockets of inequality within each gender.
Methods: The study used self-reported survey data collected from a random sample of licensed pharmacists practicing throughout the United States. The sample consisted of 375 men and 279 women. Means and standard deviations of wage-and-salary earnings for male and female pharmacists were estimated by age, number of hours worked, years of professional experience, marital status, type of pharmacy degree, main role as pharmacist, and type of practice site. The spread of wages and salaries within gender was analyzed using the Gini coefficient.
Results: A total of 654 pharmacists provided answers to all relevant questions in the questionnaire (28.9% response rate). Wages and salaries of male pharmacists exceeded those of female pharmacists, but the gap was restricted to practitioners with selected characteristics–older, married, with more experience, whose primary role was dispensing medications, and practicing in a hospital setting. The greatest wage-and-salary inequalities were observed among older pharmacists, with more years of professional experience, and whose primary role was dispensing medications. Different gender-specific pockets of inequality were identified in all variables studied and all categories within these variables.
Conclusion: The seemingly smooth gender-specific distribution of earnings in the pharmacy profession might be the result of opposing trends by different groups of practitioners that cancel each other when analyzed aggregately. By estimating the wages and salaries for selected categories of pharmacists and examining the pockets of inequality within each gender, this study shed light into recent labor market developments and will hopefully stimulate further research into the dynamics of the pharmacist workforce.
Article Type: Original Researc
RETRACTED: Framework for Patient Safety
Full text linkThis article has been retracted: please see INNOVATIONS in pharmacy retraction policy (https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/policies). This article has been retracted by the Editor and Publisher due to the inappropriate use of previously published work.
A commitment on quality objectives is a crucial element of quality policy in HROs, such as hospitals and other healthcare institutions. The quality of care includes objectives related to effectiveness, efficiency, and a patient’s experience. Healthcare organizations are also aware of the importance of promoting safety practices and the resiliency analysis of the clinical practice in order to improve quality. Patient Safety Culture has been defined as the product of individual and group values, attitudes, competencies, and patterns of behavior that determines their commitment, style, and proficiency with the organization’s health and safety programs. The safety culture of a health center offers an indirect means for its involvement in quality. Poor involvement of professionals in safety has negative consequences for patients. Envisioning the future of patient safety is more than an academic exercise. Appealing visions can help channel human energies, set new directions, and open the doors to alternative approaches. An outside observer is struck by three characteristics that are very different from the culture of the early 21st century: a deep sense of individual and institutional accountability for safety, an emphasis on fairness and transparency, and pervasive collaboration and teamwork based on mutual respect. Speaking up is important for patient safety, but healthcare professionals often hesitate to voice their concerns. Direct supervisors have an important role in influencing speaking up. However, good insight into the relationship between managers' behavior and employees' perceptions about whether speaking up is safe and worthwhile is still lacking. The evaluation should cover the following areas in both instruments: strategy (inquiry on their commitment to the quality and safety strategy, indicators’ feedback, and risks maps), support systems for clinical decisions (digital record algorithms to make decisions and for accessibility to patient clinical information), equipment (adequacy), follow-up (availability of tests when needed), person-centered care (respect of patients’ values and preferences), evidence-based practice (practices in accordance with guidelines), delays (on scheduled tests, surgery, and outpatient care), and cost-effective treatments (adequacy).
Article Type: Commentar
Additional Utility of Pharmacogenomics (PGx) Panel Testing in a CYP2D6 Normal Metabolizer with a History of Breast Cancer
Full text linkObjective: To demonstrate the utility of pharmacogenomic (PGx) panel testing use versus single gene testing for a single indication. Panel testing may not only help further refine clinical decision making for the primary medical indication, it may uncover with one diagnostic test multiple PGx abnormalities, altering current and future therapy for other conditions.
Summary: Breast cancer patient presented to the pharmacist PGx service to discuss results and to help determine best guidance for post-surgical pain treatment. From the panel testing it was incidentally found the patient may be at higher clot risk from standard cancer prophylactic, hormone therapy as well as possible future cardiac therapy.
Conclusion: PGx panel testing may not only uncover potential medication related problems (MRPs) with the primary medical indication being tested, it may also refine therapy for other medical problems, resulting in avoidance of future MRPs and the health care costs associated with them.
Article Type: Case Stud
The Effect of a Student Pharmacist Directed Health-Education Program for Elementary-School Children
Full text linkObjective: The primary objective of this study was to measure the effect of an annual student pharmacist led elementary-school health education program by assessing children’s comprehension of educational sessions. Secondary objectives were to evaluate student pharmacists’ knowledge of health-related topics and practice skills.
Methods: Student pharmacists led interactive learning sessions for elementary school students on nutrition, physical activity, summer safety, hygiene, medication safety, and tobacco prevention. Pre- and post-intervention surveys were administered to measure change in knowledge of health promotion and healthy lifestyles. Student pharmacists also completed pre- and post-health education intervention surveys to measure change in self-perception of knowledge, confidence, and practice application of health-related topics and practice skills.
Results: Three-hundred and four elementary school children participated in the study with significant knowledge improvements observed in medication safety and tobacco prevention. Twenty-five student pharmacists completed surveys, resulting in a collective self-improvement in each area measured.
Conclusion: Interactive educational sessions led by student pharmacists have a positive impact on elementary school children’s knowledge. Student pharmacists also demonstrated professional growth through increased knowledge, confidence, and communication skills in interacting with pediatric populations.
Practice Implication: A co-curricular educational activity allowed student pharmacists to promote health and wellness to elementary students, a Healthy People 2020 goal, while also providing an opportunity to develop professional skills for future practice with pediatric patients.
Article Type: Original Researc
RETRACTED: Extemporaneous Compounding: Selective Pharmacists with Separate Skill
Full text linkThis article has been retracted: please see INNOVATIONS in pharmacy retraction policy (https://pubs.lib.umn.edu/index.php/innovations/policies). This article has been retracted by the Editor and Publisher due to the inappropriate use of previously published work.
Extemporaneous compounding takes place in community and hospital pharmacies. There are usually specialist compounding pharmacies in major towns and cities, but any pharmacy may undertake compounding as long as they have appropriate facilities according to state-based legislation (e.g. allocated clean bench, specific compounding equipment). Although development is a continuous process, companies are customizing features to meet the majority of patient needs, but the very nature of the process cannot meet all patient needs. The risk-benefit ratio of using traditionally compounded medicines is favorable for patients who require specialized medications that are not commercially available, as they would otherwise not have access to suitable treatment. However, if an FDA-approved drug is commercially available, the use of an unapproved compounded drug confers additional risk with no commensurate benefit. Published reports of independent testing by the FDA, state agencies, and others consistently show that compounded drugs fail to meet specifications at a considerably higher rate than FDA-approved drugs. Compounded sterile preparations pose the additional risk of microbial contamination to patients. In the last 11 years, three separate meningitis outbreaks have been traced to purportedly ‘sterile’ steroid injections contaminated with fungus or bacteria, which were made by compounding pharmacies. The 2012 outbreak has resulted in intense scrutiny of pharmacy compounding practices and increased recognition of the need to ensure that compounding is limited to appropriate circumstances.
Article Type: Revie
Anemia and Dietary Behaviors among Young Adults in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Full text linkObjective: The study sought to assess the prevalence and the risk factors associated with anemia among male and female young adults in (Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia).
Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at King Saud University and Alfaisal University in September 2016 among young adults aged 18 to 28 years old. Data were collected using an interview questionnaire. Additionally, the respondents were evaluated clinically and via laboratory testing for anemia.
Results: Our study population showed a higher percentage of men as compared to women participants. About half of our study sample had a lightly active lifestyle, and more than one-third of the study participants were overweight (34.7%). The average age of the respondents was 22.08 ± 1.98 years. The only factor significantly associated with anemia was gender, in that female gender showed a positive association with anemia.
Conclusion: The most explicit risk factor for anemia among Saudi individuals of college and young professional ages was the female gender. Dietary lifestyle, heavy menstruation, pregnancy, and intake of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were additional important risk factors among these individuals, but they were statistically not significant.
Article Type: Original Researc