Content about Patient safety

March 20, 2013

Pharmacy interoperability and emerging care models: Conversations from HIMSS13

One major theme resonating across the show floor at HIMSS13 was the importance of interoperability within healthcare ecosystems. Emdeon's Lathe Bigler discusses how interoperability in the pharmacy space has been centered on advances in e-prescribing and clinical messaging.

In early March, more than 30,000 healthcare industry participants swarmed upon New Orleans for the annual HIMSS conference. In the words of keynote speaker James Carville, this is the Super Bowl of conventions. Most attendees arrived on Sunday to discover a water outage warning. Even when the water pressure returned to normal, the message was clear — do not drink it! On Monday morning, there was not a latte to be found in the entire city. We were roughing it…

August 24, 2011

Annual Prescriber Report 2011

Behind every prescription that lands at the pharmacy counter is a series of events that influence the prescriber’s decision. Powered by data from SDI Health, Drug Store News goes inside the examination room in this exclusive report, providing an in-depth look at the critical factors that shape pharmaceutical sales trends and shift market share from one drug to another in 10 key market segments.

Behind every prescription that lands at the pharmacy counter is a series of events that influence the prescriber’s decision. Powered by data from SDI Health, Drug Store News goes inside the examination room in this exclusive report, providing an in-depth look at the critical factors that shape pharmaceutical sales trends and shift market share from one drug to another in 10 key market segments.

Click below to download the complete PDF of the 2011 Annual Prescriber Report.

May 20, 2013

Kerr Drug introduces Simplify My Meds synchronized-prescription program

Kerr Drug has introduced a new prescription-synchronization service, the retail pharmacy chain said Monday.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Kerr Drug has introduced a new prescription-synchronization service, the retail pharmacy chain said Monday.

Kerr, a regional chain based in Raleigh, N.C., announced the introduction of the new Simplify My Meds synchronized prescription refill service. The service uses the chain's new central-fill center in Kerr, and the company said it hoped the program would solidify customer loyalty by increasing convenience.

May 13, 2013

N.J. law designed to address prescription eye drop adherence

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation into law that will allow patients using prescription eye drops to get early refills in order to prevent interruptions in therapy.

TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation into law Monday that will allow patients using prescription eye drops to get early refills in order to prevent interruptions in therapy.

May 9, 2013

DEA collects more than 740,000 pounds of unused drugs

The Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 371 tons of unused medications last month as part of its sixth annual drug take-back program, the agency said.

WASHINGTON — The Drug Enforcement Administration collected more than 371 tons of unused medications last month as part of its sixth annual drug take-back program, the agency said.

May 9, 2013

The beauty of health and wellness

While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, this month's Patient Views seeks to better understand beauty in the eye of the patient.

While beauty may be in the eye of the beholder, this month's Patient Views seeks to better understand beauty in the eye of the patient. AccentHealth viewers — 73% of which are female — were surveyed as to the relationship between health and beauty, as well as their purchasing of personal care products in the areas of hair care, body care, oral care, cosmetics and more.

May 3, 2013

Expansion of in-store health kiosks setting stage for pharmacy web of improved-outcome solutions

Kinney Drugs, with its almost-100 locations located primarily in upstate New York, is the latest pharmacy to capitalize on the robust offerings available through in-store health kiosks. Because it isn't only about taking that random blood pressure check anymore.

No, the in-store health kiosks going into stores today are designed to augment outcomes-based health care. For example, through the use of "smart cards," PharmaSmart helps track historical health metrics across its trademarked Blood Pressure Tracker web portal.

May 2, 2013

NACDS joins 'Partnership for Advancing Medication Adherence'

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has announced its membership in “Prescriptions for a Healthy America: A Partnership for Advancing Medication Adherence."

ARLINGTON, Va. — The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has announced its membership in “Prescriptions for a Healthy America: A Partnership for Advancing Medication Adherence."

May 1, 2013

PrescribeWellness launches LinkWellness 2.5

A search feature that allows pharmacies to quickly determine why patients are calling so they can better serve their needs and a patient registration system that allows easier enrollment in medication-time reminders, disease management and smoking-cessation programs are among the new features of the latest version of PrescribeWellness' software system.

ALISO VIEJO, Calif. — A search feature that allows pharmacies to quickly determine why patients are calling so they can better serve their needs and a patient registration system that allows easier enrollment in medication-time reminders, disease management and smoking-cessation programs are among the new features of the latest version of PrescribeWellness' software system.

April 23, 2013

Kmart store robbed, suspect steals information backed up electronically from store safe

An armed robber allegedly stole sensitive electronic information on pharmacy customers from a Kmart store in Little Rock, Ark., last month, the mass merchandise retailer said.

HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — An armed robber allegedly stole sensitive electronic information on pharmacy customers from a Kmart store in Little Rock, Ark., last month, the mass merchandise retailer said.

April 17, 2013

Catalina Health finds near-total interest in simplified medication information

Results of a survey indicate a positive response among patients to redesigned patient medication information distributed to patients at retail pharmacy chains in two states as part of an eight-week program.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Results of a survey indicate a positive response among patients to redesigned patient medication information distributed to patients at retail pharmacy chains in two states as part of an eight-week program.

Catalina Health said it launched the eight-week quality improvement initiative in August 2012 to disseminate the information focusing on three medications dispensed in stores in an unnamed "leading pharmacy chain" in California and Michigan.

April 11, 2013

Study finds wide disparities in antibiotic prescribing rates between South, Midwest

Research has indicated that about half of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary, raising concerns about the growth of bacteria resistant to them, but a new study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also finds that prescriptions are highest in several states in the South and Midwest.

NEW YORK — Research has indicated that about half of antibiotic prescriptions are unnecessary, raising concerns about the growth of bacteria resistant to them, but a new study by researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also finds that prescriptions are highest in several states in the South and Midwest.

The study, published Thursday in the New England Journal of Medicine, was based on a database maintained by IMS Health that includes a sample of more than 70% of U.S. prescriptions.

April 10, 2013

Cardinal Health Foundation helps combat Rx drug abuse with Generation Rx University

With the growing concern of the abuse of prescription stimulants like Adderall on college campuses, the Cardinal Health Foundation and the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy introduced Generation Rx University, the fourth in a series of interactive toolkits designed to help reduce the abuse of prescription drugs.

DUBLIN, Ohio — With the growing concern of the abuse of prescription stimulants like Adderall on college campuses, the Cardinal Health Foundation and the Ohio State University College of Pharmacy on Wednesday introduced Generation Rx University, the fourth in a series of interactive toolkits designed to help reduce the abuse of prescription drugs.

April 10, 2013

Walgreens takes aim at healthcare savings with three-pronged strategy

A new Walgreens research article released Wednesday projects that by taking an innovative approach to classifying patient populations, health systems can more effectively prevent “triple-fail” events — or outcomes that fail to advance population health, reduce per capita healthcare costs and improve individual patient experience.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — A new Walgreens research article released Wednesday projects that by taking an innovative approach to classifying patient populations, health systems can more effectively prevent “triple-fail” events — or outcomes that fail to advance population health, reduce per capita healthcare costs and improve individual patient experience.

April 4, 2013

Take Care Clinics expand scope of health services

Take Care Health, which is owned by Walgreens, has announced it is expanding the scope of services within its Take Care Clinics to include chronic condition management and additional preventive health offerings.

DEERFIELD, Ill. — Take Care Health, which is owned by Walgreens, has announced it is expanding the scope of services within its Take Care Clinics to include chronic condition management and additional preventive health offerings.

April 2, 2013

Smart devices and the empowered patient

These are the days of the empowered patient — the patient who asks questions, who wants to know about how to prevent the diseases that ailed their parents or how to live more successfully with the conditions they have, who seeks and finds health information from doctors, nurses, magazines and most especially from the teeming trove of online health sites.

These are the days of the empowered patient — the patient who asks questions; who wants to know about how to prevent the diseases that ailed their parents or how to live more successfully with the conditions they have; and who seeks and finds health information from doctors, nurses, magazines and most especially from the teeming trove of online health sites.

March 20, 2013

HRG launches ranking system for top prescriptions by ZIP code

Hamacher Resource Group is offering pharmacists a new service that it said would allow them to get the top prescriptions dispensed in their two-digit ZIP code to ensure they are accurately and competitively pricing drugs.

WAUKESHA, Wis. — Hamacher Resource Group is offering pharmacists a new service that it said would allow them to get the top prescriptions dispensed in their two-digit ZIP code to ensure they are accurately and competitively pricing drugs.

HRG said the service, Rx Top Sellers, would provide data on the top 200, 500, 750 or 1,000 prescriptions and include cash median prices that are charged by food-drug retailers and independent pharmacies, as well as mass merchandise retailers.

March 15, 2013

Medbox buys stake in drug-vending company, forms jointly controlled corporation

Pharmaceutical vending machine maker Medbox has bought a 50% stake in a Michigan-based company that has developed an automated medicine dispensing machine, Medbox said Friday.

NEW YORK — Pharmaceutical vending machine maker Medbox has bought a 50% stake in a Michigan-based company that has developed an automated medicine dispensing machine, Medbox said Friday.

The $5.15 million deal with MedVend includes a $300,000 capital infusion and additional loans if needed for operating expenses into a jointly controlled new corporation that will also be called MedVend.

March 15, 2013

Sens. Pat Roberts and Kay Hagan introduce legislation to expand MTM access

U.S. Senators Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Kay Hagan, D-N.C., introduced legislation written to lower healthcare costs by helping more seniors better manage their prescriptions.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senators Pat Roberts, R-Kan. and Kay Hagan, D-N.C. on Thursday introduced legislation written to lower healthcare costs by helping more seniors better manage their prescriptions. The Medication Therapy Management Empowerment Act will allow seniors with any high-cost chronic illness to review all their medication and develop a plan of action with a pharmacist.

March 14, 2013

Health professionals are 'go-to' information source

When it comes to medical treatment, healthcare professionals remain the most trusted source for information. According to a recent online survey of more than 600 AccentHealth viewers, 64% of viewers cite their healthcare professional as their source of information for prescription medicines, while 31% say they go to healthcare professionals for information on OTCs.

To see more Patient Views, click here.

March 12, 2013

Wellspan Health, Voiceport collaborate on improved medication adherence

VoicePort announced a finalized agreement to deploy their services with WellSpan Health, a new client located in York, Pennsylvania, offering a vast array of inpatient, outpatient, home health and physician services.

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — VoicePort today announced a finalized agreement to deploy their services with WellSpan Health, a new client located in York, Pa., offering a vast array of inpatient, outpatient, home health and physician services.

The company will install two of VoicePort's patient solutions: PharmaRemind patient notifications and Meducation prescription translation, education and written instruction service. Both innovative solutions will enter Wellspan Health's pharmacy work-flow in pursuit of delivering improved medication adherence for their pharmacy patients.

March 6, 2013

Survey: Most practitioners recommend OTC before prescription-only

Nearly 98% of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists trust and recommend over-the-counter medicines to their patients, according to a new survey released Wednesday by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association.

WASHINGTON — Nearly 98% of primary care physicians, nurse practitioners and pharmacists trust and recommend over-the-counter medicines to their patients, according to a new survey released Wednesday by the Consumer Healthcare Products Association. Nearly three-fourths of primary care physicians recommend OTC medicines to relieve symptoms before recommending a prescription treatment.

March 5, 2013

Rush to e-prescribing? Not so fast, say docs

You might want to make a note of this. On paper. Despite all the hoopla surrounding electronically generated prescriptions, e-communications and digitized patient recordkeeping over the past decade, most doctors still prefer to write prescriptions the old fashioned way, by hand, scrawled on a prescription pad and handed to the patient.

That was the finding of a recent study of physicians’ prescribing habits by point-of-prescription advertising company MediScripts. The company, which by its own description “puts brand messages at the center of the prescriber-patient engagement,” found that handwritten scripts still outpace e-prescribing by more than 60%. Drug Store News’ Alaric DeArment described the findings in a report on Feb. 28.

March 5, 2013

Senators encourage GAO to investigate ways to collaborate on prescription drug abuse

Several senators have requested that the Government Accountability Office look for ways to coordinate the efforts of law enforcement and public health agencies at various levels and nonprofit organizations to address prescription drug abuse.

WASHINGTON — Several senators have requested that the Government Accountability Office look for ways to coordinate the efforts of law enforcement and public health agencies at various levels and nonprofit organizations to address prescription drug abuse.

February 28, 2013

Prescribers continue to show preference for paper prescription pads despite e-prescribing advances, study finds

Despite all the promises of e-prescribing, in the land of the newfangled, the old-fashioned still reigns supreme, according to a new study.

HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, N.J. — Despite all the promises of e-prescribing, in the land of the newfangled, the old-fashioned still reigns supreme, according to a new study.

The study, by point-of-prescription advertising company MediScripts, found that handwritten prescriptions continued to outpace e-prescribing by more than 60% in 2012. The company said the high volume of MediScripts prescription pad use demonstrated continued physician preference for pen and paper, but use of electronic medical record software has shown increased uptake.