- Apple’s ad blocking heats up debate, but what does it mean for pharma? (fiercepharmamarketing.com)
Apple stirred a long-simmering controversy into a raging debate:… ad blocking in its newest operating system…ad blocking technology is not new, Apple's considerable mainstream influence had publishers scrambling and advertisers worried… Pharma companies are affected mechanically in much the same way all advertisers are…ad blockers could have some specific effects for pharma. Some pharma companies,… rely more heavily on digital advertising than other media placements, especially for marketing smaller-reach specialized drugs...
- How many health apps actually matter? (healthcareitnews.com)
Apps are all the rage in healthcare and pretty much everywhere else. Despite so much buzz about consumers using mobile healthcare apps, however, the options proving useful are few and far between…With some 165,000 health-related apps available, in fact, a mere 36 comprise nearly 50 percent of downloads… Two key data points illustrate how almost all of the apps fall short: Just 10 percent can connect to a device or sensor while a mere 2 percent sync into providers' systems,...that functionality could greatly improve both accuracy and convenience of data collection.
- Telehealth portrays potential healthcare benefits (drugstorenews.com)
Telehealth represents a burgeoning,…opportunity for pharmacy operators, one that has the potential to not only drive traffic into a store, but also to drive new customers into that store…Pharmacy represents a…touchpoint for telehealth operators...making pharmacies that provide access to telehealth services a convenient and less-expensive option for those consumers who are assuming a greater portion of their individual healthcare costs…also an opportunity to improve outcomes through telehealth/retail pharmacy partnerships…many…doctor associations,…support telehealth models,..making retail pharmacy operators fielding in-store telehealth services attractive care partners for health systems.
- Pharmacists Reduce HIV Drug Interactions (pharmacytimes.com)
Thanks to the introduction of antiretroviral therapy, HIV-infected individuals are living longer than ever before,…this advancement means those with HIV are living long enough to experience aging’s comorbidities. They are also at higher risk for medication errors…as ART is associated with greater polypharmacy and drug-drug interactions…medication errors can increase viral resistance by decreasing ART levels, or increase risk of toxicity by elevating concentrations. Because of this, pharmacists are critical for preventing drug-drug interactions and other medical errors in HIV-infected hospital patients..
- Drug tested in Vegas shows promise in relieving agitation in Alzheimer’s patients (reviewjournal.com)Effect of Dextromethorphan-Quinidine on Agitation in Patients With Alzheimer Disease DementiaA Randomized Clinical Trial (jama.jamanetwork.com)
Encouraging results from a drug trial to reduce agitation often felt by Alzheimer's patients and led by the director (Dr. Jeffrey Cummings) of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas were published…Journal of the American Medical Association…study tested the drug AVP-923 in participants with Alzheimer's disease and moderate-to-severe agitation…drug's success so far in the DM/Q trial will prompt a clinical phase…"The effects from the DM/Q trial were remarkable and one of the strongest we've ever seen," said… director of the Ruvo center, who led the study. "Usually it takes at least three weeks to see a change, but in this case, our participants started experiencing benefits within one week."
- Stanford team re-engineers virus to deliver therapies to cells (news.stanford.edu)
Researchers stripped a virus of its infectious machinery and turned its benign core into a delivery vehicle that can target sick cells while leaving healthy tissue alone….totally redesigned its core to repurpose its infectious capabilities into a safe vehicle for delivering vaccines and therapies directly where they are needed…"We call this a smart particle,"…. "We make it smart by adding molecular tags that act like addresses to send the therapeutic payload where we want it to go." Stanford has patented the technology and different aspects are licensed to a biotechnology company… no timetable for commercial development.
- The bacteria-fighting super element that’s making a comeback in hospitals: copper (washingtonpost.com)
At least 15 hospitals across the country have installed, or are considering installing, copper components on "high-touch" surfaces easily contaminated with microbes — faucet handles on sinks, cabinet pulls, toilet levers, call buttons and IV poles…We’ve known for a long time that copper and other metals are effective in killing microbes,… Many experts have concluded that traditional methods for reducing hospital-acquired infections, such as hand washing, aren’t enough, because people don’t always do what they are supposed to do and many pathogens can survive for long periods on surfaces. That’s why hospitals are experimenting with other ways to destroy them…
- Japan’s MHLW lines up about 50 candidates for fast-track ‘sakigake’ process (fiercepharmaasia.com)
Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare received around 50 formal applications and has cleared screening for the "sakigake" fast-track drug and device review process before the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency,… The "sakigake designation system" is aimed at expediting the review of innovative drugs, regenerative medicines and devices developed in Japan earlier than the rest of the world. This includes prioritized consultations and priority review status….products considered must display a novel mechanism of action, be scalable commercially, show high efficacy and be developed and planned for approval in Japan ahead of the rest of the world,…
- Why hospitals should buy IT startups (healthcareitnews.com)
Lots of hospitals are snapping up clinics and physician practices. One major consultancy recommends they also consider acquiring digital health startups and other vertically-integrated companies…Healthcare M&A in the U.S.,..totaled $241 billion by May 2015, the highest year-to-date figure ever,…increasingly popular as M&A targets are digital health start-ups, typically those offering health-related products or services in ehealth, telemedicine, population health management, health analytics, remote monitoring, wearable technology...
- 3 Third-Party Claims Tools Pharmacy Technicians Can Use (pharmacytimes.com)
Processing third-party claims and dealing with insurance companies can be frustrating even for the most experienced pharmacy technicians...there are a number of tools available to pharmacists and techs to make it easier to adjudicate and reconcile prescription claims…Technicians looking to improve workflow in their pharmacies might consider using one of the following services.
- eConcile (FDS) - automates the reconciliation process, eliminating the need for paper checks and verifying the accuracy of third-party payments. The tool will also identify unpaid or underpaid claims, reducing the potential for write-offs…
- EnsurePay (PBAhealth) - automated service that allows pharmacies and technicians to reconcile third-party claims electronically…works by comparing remittance files submitted by a pharmacy to incoming payments..claim will be electronically reconciled… allows its users to manage the process entirely
- Scriptmax (Innovatix) - Web-based prescription claim support program and data analytics service available to long-term care, home infusion, mail-order, retail, and specialty pharmacies…helps to improve the accuracy of the adjudication process, matching third-party payments with adjudicated amounts… performs a number of reviews,…