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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.

Health IT support in care coordination inconsistent….leaves much to be desired, according to a new survey of clinicians….survey showed that although 78 percent of the 350 respondents viewed timely notification of hospital discharges as very important, only about 49 percent used health IT systems to accomplish this task.

University of Nevada School of Medicine will offer two free outreach clinics in July. The clinics are open to people of all ages and are geared to serve Washoe County's medically uninsured population...Patients can be seen for...work physicals, blood pressure monitoring and referrals to specialists. Lab work is available for discounted fees.

Rite Aid will be teaming with The Skin Cancer Foundation….providing…customers free private screenings with a local dermatologist volunteer,…flagship early detection program, …raise skin cancer awareness and educate the public about the importance of prevention…

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?

American Pharmacists Association Foundation has introduced a self-management tool designed to improve healthcare outcomes for diabetes patients and to reduce overall costs..."enables pharmacists and other healthcare providers to gain a comprehensive understanding of their patients’ ability to manage their diabetes"

...five million medications have been tracked using radio frequency identification technology. system allows a hospital to track reliably from ordering through dispensing through administration at the bedside, patient safety has been greatly enhanced. "It's cutting down on medication errors,..

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…

...most difficult situations practicing community pharmacists face is counseling family members about hospice medications for their loved ones. Such counseling requires not only medication information, but also compassion and empathy.

Facebook messages or e-mails would be convenient ways for…patients to communicate with their health care providers...a recent online survey, 37% retail pharmacy customers…that they had contacted a physician via e-mail…18% had attempted the same via Facebook.