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Daniel Kraft, MD, chair of medicine at Singularity University and chair/founder of Exponential Medicine, discusses pharmacogenomics' role in pharmacy practices.(video)

Anne Burns RPh Vice President of Professional Affairs at the American Pharmacists Association talks how the pharmacist's role has evolved.

when options are slim, a continuous balancing act takes place…day between prescribers, payers, manufacturers and specialty pharmacies...By employing a methodology that includes product awareness, formulary understanding, co-pay assistance management and REMS participation, a specialty pharmacy can successfully help patients access high cost specialty therapies.

Many states implement unlawful and life-threatening restrictions on Medicaid coverage for the hepatitis C virus drug, sofosbuvir…limited treatment to HCV patients with advanced fibrosis or cirrhosis… treating earlier to prevent these liver-related complications seems counterintuitive…

1996 through June 2014, organizations surveyed… have provided more than 150,000 overdose reversal kits containing naloxone to laypersons who have reported 26,463 overdose reversals in that time… recommend providing naloxone kits to laypersons who might witness an opioid overdose; to patients in substance use treatment programs; to persons leaving prison and jail; and as a component of responsible opioid prescribing."

Pharmacists must remember that patient lives are at stake, and resolving and reporting mistakes takes an incredible amount of time. So, regaining focus is not optional; it’s an obligation!

Step 1: Take a walk.

Step 2: Strike up interesting conversations with customers.

Step 3: Use a different part of your brain.

Step 4: Eat a healthy snack and drink a lot of water.

Step 5: Turn up the music.

high-cost medications...will drive up health care inflation…issue of drug pricing presents an opportunity for pharmacists to get more involved with prescribers and patients in promoting cost-effective medication therapy...another reason for pharmacists to become an active part of the health care team.

"No technician wants to do anything to compromise patient safety and health, as it goes against their training, compassion, and empathy,"..."But when pharmacies get overwhelmed, it can be easy to lose sight of that, so it’s important for pharmacies to implement ways to minimize potentially dangerous mistakes."

Organizations can dramatically improve hand-hygiene compliance when infection control personnel provide on-the-spot intervention, Despite the fact that healthcare workers are well aware that following proper hand-hygiene protocols will reduce healthcare-associated infections,...

pharmacists can take the lead in improving care transitions,.. for heart failure patients.
They monitored for compliance with 3 core HF measures:
(1) Did patients receive discharge instructions?
(2) Was left ventricular systolic (LVS) evaluated?
(3) Was an ACE inhibitor or ARB prescribed for LVS dysfunction?