INNOVATIONS in pharmacy (Iip - E-Journal)
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Opening A New Independent Pharmacy 101
Get PDFOpening an independent pharmacy is a process that involves multiple components. The rationale of this project is to discuss different issues that must be investigated prior to opening a new independency pharmacy. This includes the location, structure of the corporation, start-up cost, picking a wholesaler, fulfilling state board requirements and Philadelphia requirements, having a valid license, making professional relationships, and knowing basic marketing research. Methods used include using the knowledge and expertise from an independent pharmacy owner, visiting pharmacies, and interviewing neighbors for basic marketing research. Many aspects of opening an independent pharmacy differ significantly from a retail pharmacy, as there are various issues within the pharmacy and outside the pharmacy that must be extensively researched prior to opening in order to be successful.
Type: Student Projec
Multiple Bosses: Challenges and suggestions to improve organizational environments in academic settings.
Get PDFPractice faculty members are often supervised by more than one individual, creating a reporting structure that mirrors a matrix organization. They are tasked with balancing administrative and teaching responsibilities established by the school with expectations of maintaining a pharmacy practice site. A matrix reporting structure offers opportunities for enhanced development, but risks of additional stress from the organizational complexity must be mitigated to reduce job dissatisfaction. Frequent and consistent communication, mutual agreement and alignment of expectations and priorities, and the ability to manage conflict and adapt to change will aid pharmacy practice faculty in managing the relationship between their primary employer (the school) and the contracted entity.
Conflict of Interest
We declare no conflicts of interest or financial interests that the authors or members of their immediate families have in any product or service discussed in the manuscript, including grants (pending or received), employment, gifts, stock holdings or options, honoraria, consultancies, expert testimony, patents and royalties.
Type: Original Researc
Designing a Free Academic Early Alert System
Get PDFThis manuscript describes the development and implementation of a cloud-based, academic early alert system using Google Sheets. It was written for a non-computer savvy person to be able to develop the early alert system. By creating a Master Sheet and using the syntax from the share function of Google Sheets, a unique sheet can be created for each advisor that limits information sharing of their specific advisees. By adding a Google Form to the sheet, advisor interventions can be captured that reflect interventions made as a result of the early alert sheet.
Approximately 52% of students were identified on the early alert sheet by having at least one non-passing score on an exam. There were 35-50% of faculty advisors who documented their interventions in the sheet. The template and coding used to develop this academic early alert sheet may be applied to other central documentation needs, such as professionalism early alert.
Conflict of Interest
Dr. Welch reports owning stock in Alphabet, Inc, however, was not involved in the selection of Google as the preferred platform at this institution.
Type: Not
Baseline Knowledge and Education on Patient Safety in the Ambulatory Care Setting for 4th Year Pharmacy Students
Get PDFObjectives: To assess the baseline knowledge of fourth year student pharmacists on their ability to properly identify and categorize medication related problems (MRP) during their Advanced Pharmacy Practice Experience (APPE) in the ambulatory care setting, and to assess the efficacy of a written resource designed to educate and train users on identification and documentation of MRP's and used for this purpose with participating students on their ambulatory care APPE.
Methods: A pretest consisting of ten multiple-choice questions was administered electronically to fourth year student pharmacists (N=18) at the start of their ambulatory care APPE. The test was designed to assess both the students' baseline knowledge regarding MRP's, and their ability to identify a wide variety of medication-related problems. Students then received a written copy of The Medication Therapy Intervention & Safety Documentation Program training manual and were asked to read it in its entirety in the first week of their APPE. Finally, students were given a posttest survey (identical to the pretest) to complete to assess if their knowledge had increased from baseline.
Results: The average score for the 18 students taking the baseline knowledge pre-test was 63.33%, indicating limited baseline knowledge regarding the identification and classification of MRP's. In assessing the effectiveness of the written training document, the overall posttest results compared to pretest results did not indicate improvement in students' knowledge or ability to properly identify and classify medication related problems (MRP) after reviewing the training manual. The average scores declined from 63.33% on the pretest to 62.78% on the posttest, although this was not found to be statistically significant (p = 0.884). However, a statistically significant decline in students' knowledge occurred on one specific question, which tested their ability to classify MRP's (p = 0.029).
Conclusions: Based on the results of the pre-test, students at our institution enter their APPE year with limited baseline knowledge of medication safety within the ambulatory care setting. Results from the posttest indicate potential ineffectiveness of a written document in providing effective education on MRP's to students in the experiential setting. Education may be made more effective with a hands-on, active learning approach that overcomes the limitations of other passive forms of learning.
Type: Student Projec
Assessment of a pharmacist-led comprehensive medication management and wellness program
Get PDFBackground: Pharmacists are currently providing comprehensive medication management in the outpatient setting. However, there is little documented evidence demonstrating pharmacists are generating further improved health outcomes utilizing non-pharmacologic support, such as fitness and nutrition counseling. The objective of this study is to determine if a pharmacist-led wellness program with medication management and lifestyle modifications through fitness and nutrition coaching can lead to improved biometric markers.
Methods: The wellness program targeted corporate employees and was offered in a corporate headquarters' setting with an on-site workout facility. The program was expected to recruit approximately 15 patients into the wellness program consisting of two treatment arms. The standard group featured nutrition-based classes, medication therapy management and fitness education. The intervention group performed the standard group's activities plus direct, supervised fitness training once weekly. Measured biometric markers were assessed at baseline, 3.5 months, and 7 months and included body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), fasting blood glucose (FBG), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), and full lipid panel (TC, TG, HDL, and LDL).
Results: Seventeen patients were enrolled in the study. The standard group (n = 11) and intervention group (n = 6) had relatively similar biometric markers at baseline. Seven total patients completed the study (4 from standard group, 3 from intervention group). The majority of biometric markers improved in both groups, and BP and LDL control was maintained for all who completed the study.
Conclusion: These data suggest that a licensed pharmacist with certified personal trainer credentials may be capable of maintaining biometric markers at healthy levels and improving where necessary in an employee wellness program through one-on-one medication, fitness and nutrition support. Additional, large-scale research is needed to verify the clinical outcomes and feasibility in a larger group setting.
Type: Clinical Experienc
Evaluation of Medication Kit Processing Time Using Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Technology
Get PDFA study was conducted to evaluate the time devoted to medication kit processing using radio frequency identification (RFID) technology versus traditional processing. The article reviews the traditional, non-automated process as well as the automated RFIDbased process. The comparative methodology is reviewed, including limitations. The result shows a statistically significant time savings with the RFID-based technology in both process components (restocking and verifying) and the total. Other elements important in institution decision-making are reviewed.
Type: Original Researc
Smart Phone Apps: An Innovative Approach to Improving Pediatric Medication Adherence
Get PDFChildren suffering from chronic illnesses often struggle to adhere to their medication regimens and are rarely involved in the management of their medications. The use of innovative technology, such as medication adherence mobile apps, may be beneficial in increasing medication adherence rates and self-care knowledge in the pediatric population. Children serve as an optimal population with which to use mobile apps as intervention tools, as children utilize smart phone technology far more than most other populations. By striving to improve children’s medication perceptions, adherence and willingness to continue medication therapy for a chronic condition may improve during adolescent years and may persist as they transition into adulthood. As community pharmacists interact with children with chronic conditions during routine visits, they can also engage them in conversations about their medication adherence through use of mobile apps. Although many medication adherence apps are currently available on the market, none of these apps are tailored towards pediatric patients. Thus, further research should be conducted in order to develop mobile apps conducive to this population.
Type: Student Projec
Providers' perceptions of monitoring process for pregnancy category D or X medication in women of childbearing age
Get PDFBackground and Objectives: A process for monitoring the prescribing of common pregnancy category D or X medications in women of childbearing age (ages 12 to 50) was developed and implemented by clinical pharmacists within a residency clinic. The project goals were to determine 1) if providers value the monitoring of their prescribing practices, 2) if they value the process used by the clinic, and 3) if providers report changing prescribing practices or note increased awareness when prescribing pregnancy category D or X medications in women of childbearing age as a result of the monitoring process.
METHODS: An electronic survey was distributed to the 43 providers currently practicing in the clinic. Survey questions covered topics including value of monitoring prescribing practices for pregnancy category D or X medications in women of childbearing age, value of the specific monitoring process used at the clinic, frequency of consideration of pregnancy status and contraception use when prescribing medication, and suggestions for improvement on the monitoring process.
RESULTS: The response rate was 81.4% (n=35). Results showed all responders valued the monitoring of their prescribing of pregnancy category D or X medications and the monitoring process used by the clinic. Providers reported the monitoring process increased how often they thought about a patient’s pregnancy status and contraception use when prescribing medications.
CONCLUSIONS: The monitoring process is valued by providers and impacts prescribing practices. It is a quality process that could be implemented by clinical pharmacists in other primacy care practices to enhance the safe prescribing of medications for women of childbearing age.
Type: Original Researc
Incentivizing Antibiotic Research and Development
Get PDFAntibiotic Resistance is an international threat, killing thousands and infecting millions. Although certain populations may be at an increased risk for infections, anyone can find themselves compromised with a multi-drug resistant infection. Treatments are becoming more complicated as the bacteria becomes more elusive. Cures are becoming less certain, and the future antibiotic arsenal is looking thin. Although there are many talented scientists and capable drug development entities, the funding and returns on investment are not sufficient to entice antibiotic research and development.
This paper explores the current situation regarding antibiotic resistance and its casualties, as well as the mechanisms being employed to overcome the increase in resistance, and decrease in antibiotic effectiveness. Through analysis of antibiotic research, development, and regulation, this paper adds to the discussion by filling in the current gaps regarding the procurement of sustainable funding via an insurance model framework. By incentivizing the pharmaceutical industry to invest in antibiotic research, and by guaranteeing returns on investment, a global solution to the current antibiotic resistance problem can be contained.
Type: Student Projec
Comparing Vertical and Horizontal Screening Methods for Pharmacy Resident Candidates Before Interviews
Get PDFPurpose: Prior studies have examined autobiographical screening methods among medical student applicants, and demonstrated halo bias with single-rater scoring; though others have questioned its practical significance. Comparing with traditional vertical screening method, we evaluated a horizontal method for initial screening of Post-Graduate Year-1 (PGY-1) pharmacy practice resident candidate applications prior to interviews.
Methods: Our screening rubric for PGY-1 pharmacy residency candidates consisted of eight criteria, each scored using a 5-point Likert scale. During the 2014 residency recruitment season, two single-evaluators (A&B) scored all eight criteria and their scores were summed into total application scores (vertical method). Meanwhile two other evaluators (C&D) each evaluated only two criteria for all applications. The four combined-evaluators (A-D) scores, on two criteria each, were summed together into total application scores (horizontal method). For statistical comparison of single-evaluator and combined-evaluators, inter-component reliabilities were analyzed for each evaluator, while inter-rater consistency was also examined. For practical significance, actual selection differences were reviewed.
Results:Forty-six applications were evaluated to determine 24 invitations for on-site interviews. Inter-component reliability differed among evaluatorA, evaluatorB, combined-evaluators A-D (Cronbach’s alpha of 0.74, 0.73, 0.58, respectively; lower better). Among raters, inter-rater consistency was excellent (0.86 by intraclass correlation, p
Conclusion: Halo bias was seen with the single-evaluators (vertical method); two interview invitations were negatively impacted. For pharmacy resident screening, a horizontal screening method appears to be rigorous in promoting fairness for applicants. As pharmacy residency applications continue to grow, a fair and time-efficient method of screening seems imperative.
Type: Original Researc