- Retail Pharmacy Clinics: Top Players and the Coming 2016 Pause (drugchannels.net)
As low-cost generics come to dominate retail dispensing activity, clinics have emerged as a way for drugstores and other retail pharmacy outlets to diversify into non-dispensing revenues...There are now about 2,000 retail clinics. Below, I examine the chains with the biggest market share: CVS Health, HEB, Kroger, Rite Aid, Target, Walgreens, and Walmart...In 2015, the number of clinics grew slowly. In 2016, I project another year of slow growth as the big players retrench...
- CVS Health’s MinuteClinic remains the largest and fastest-growing retail clinic business, now operating more than half of all retail clinics.
- Walgreens is the second-largest retail clinic operator, with more than 400 Healthcare Clinics (formerly Take Care clinics). The number of clinics in Walgreens retail stores declined in 2015.
- Kroger has emerged as the third-largest retail clinic operator with its Little Clinic business, which operates inside nearly 200 Kroger, Dillon’s, Fry's, JayC, and King Soopers stores.
- Rite Aid changed its clinic strategy with the 2014 acquisition of RediClinic. As of January 2016, Rite Aid operated 41 RediClinics....a further 35 retail locations.. in HEB grocery stores...At 14 Rite Aid locations, the company leases space to other clinic operators...
- Walmart launched its own Care Clinics in 2014. There are now 17 Care Clinics in Walmart stores...Walmart also leases space to independently owned and operated Clinic at Walmart operators...operate inside 73 Walmart stores.
- QS/1 receives PA-DSS data security certification (drugstorenews.com)
Healthcare software solutions company QS/1 this week announced that it had received a certification for the data security of its point-of-sale system. The company was certified under version 3.1 of the Payment Data Security Standard...Companies that receive PA-DSS certification have to create an application that doesn’t store such information as a credit card’s magnetic stripe, CVV or PIN. QS/1’s certification covers processing new EMV chip cards as well as end-to-end encryption of credit card data and tokenizing card data for customers who store it for recurring charges...Too many times we heard about retailers dealing with massive security breaches that compromise credit card data...Taking the steps to certify on the new 3.1 standard puts QS/1’s point-of-sale system at the forefront of credit card security.
- SafeMed: Using pharmacy technicians in a novel role as community health workers to improve transitions of care (japha.org)
...the SafeMed program, which uses certified pharmacy technicians in a novel expanded role as community health workers (CPhT-CHWs) to improve transitions of care...The SafeMed experience demonstrates that...CPhT-CHWs are well suited for novel expanded roles to improve care transitions...can play a key role in care transition programs targeting superutilizing patients with complex medical and social needs. As CMS intensifies readmission penalties and providers bearing financial risk seek to reduce overall health care costs, low-cost CPhT-CHWs serving as pharmacist extenders may become an increasingly attractive component for health systems...CPhT-CHWs can assist with identification and reporting of potential DTPs identified during home visits and telephone follow-up and can coordinate with pharmacists in real time to enable patients to get targeted MTM when and where they need it. They can also assist pharmacists in scheduling outpatient CMRs and support sessions for the patients...In collaboration with state pharmacy boards, pharmacist associations, and regional community colleges, the SafeMed model can be successfully scaled to serve superutilizing patients in readmission hotspots throughout the country.
- ACIP Approves 2016 Adult Immunization Schedule (physiciansbriefing.com)Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices Recommended Immunization Schedule for Adults Aged 19 Years or Older: United States, 2016* (annals.org)Adult Immunization Schedule, Full Version (color, 5 pages) (cdc.gov)
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices has approved the recommended adult immunization schedule for 2016. The recommendations are published as a clinical guideline in the Feb. 2 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine...The researchers note that the major changes to the schedule relate to human papillomavirus, pneumococcal, and serogroup B meningococcal vaccines. The nine-valent HPV vaccine was added to the schedule, and can be used for routine vaccination against HPV for males and females. For immunocompetent adults aged 65 years and older, the vaccine interval for 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine followed by 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine was changed from "six to 12 months" to "at least one year." Immunocompromised adults, and those with anatomical or functional asplenia, cerebrospinal fluid leak, or cochlear implant, aged 19 years or older, should receive PPSV23 at least eight weeks after PCV13. All persons aged 10 years and older who are at increased risk for serogroup B meningococcal disease should have the MenB vaccine series.
- Theranos Files Plan to CMS for Fixing California Lab Problems (bloomberg.com)
Theranos Inc. filed a plan to U.S. regulators to fix serious deficiencies at the company’s blood-testing lab in Newark, California, as founder Elizabeth Holmes works to regain credibility for her struggling startup...The company submitted the proposed plan of correction...to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services...Theranos also confirmed the filing, though it didn’t release details of the plan...CMS said in late January that Theranos’s violations of federal regulations posed "immediate jeopardy" to patients’ health and safety...Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc. and...Capital BlueCross have said they’re curtailing use of Theranos’s tests while the shortcomings identified by CMS are addressed. Theranos has hired a new lab director and said it’s working quickly to correct other problems, including personnel issues, along with the defects tied to blood testing...
- Walgreens launches two programs to help address opioid abuse (drugstorenews.com)DEA Administrator Chuck Rosenberg Statement on Walgreens’ Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative (dea.gov)
Walgreens...announced the launch of a new effort to combat drug abuse, introducing two programs that address contributors to the crisis.
- ...Walgreens will install safe medication disposal kiosks in more than 500 drug stores in 39 states and Washington, D.C., primarily at locations open 24 hours. The program will make the disposal of medications — including opioids and other controlled substances — easier and more convenient while helping to reduce the misuse of medications and the rise in overdose deaths.
- Walgreens also will make naloxone...available without a prescription at its pharmacies in 35 states and Washington, D.C., rolling out the program state-by-state throughout this year.
- New Ohio law expands pharmacists’ care (pharmacist.com)
Congratulations to our pharmacist colleagues in Ohio! Under a new bill that was recently signed into law, Ohio pharmacists will now have more responsibility and fewer restrictions in collaborative practice...HB 188 provides new consult agreement provisions that allow Ohio pharmacists to order blood and urine tests, analyze the results of those tests, and modify a patient’s drug therapy regimen. The law also allows pharmacists to order medication refills in a small amount for patients with life-threatening illnesses when a physician can’t be reached. It will also streamline consult agreement paperwork so that multiple pharmacists can have a collaborative agreement with multiple physicians to oversee medications for multiple patients...This is a huge win for pharmacists in Ohio and is an excellent example of how collaboration among pharmacists, physicians, patients, and legislators can expand our scope of practice...
- Q&A with US Representative Buddy Carter, the Only Pharmacist in Congress (pharmacytimes.com)
As the only pharmacist serving in Congress, US Representative Earl L. "Buddy" Carter is a critical leader of efforts to pass federal legislation pertinent to pharmacists...Pharmacy Times recently spoke with the first-term US Congressman, House Community Pharmacy Caucus co-chair, and Carter’s Pharmacy, Inc, owner about his pharmacy past and political progress.
- Why did you become a pharmacist?
- What part of the pharmacy profession stands out to you?
- How did you get into politics?
- Have you maintained your pharmacist license while serving in Congress?
- What is it like to be a pharmacist in Congress?
- How has being a pharmacist helped you understand and tackle legislative issues?
- What pharmacy-related objectives are on your to-do list in Congress?
- What are your thoughts about pharmacist provider status legislation and how are you advancing HR 592?
- What are your thoughts about PBM transparency legislation and how are you advancing HR 244?
- What are your thoughts about "any willing pharmacy" legislation and how are you advancing HR 793?
- What more do you plan to do to advance these 3 bills?
- What efforts is the House Community Pharmacy Caucus making to help community pharmacists?
- Genomics for Precision Drug Therapy in the Community Pharmacy (bcpharmacy.ca)
Thirty-three community pharmacies have taken part in North America’s first research project that ultimately aims to bring the science of pharmacogenomics to patients using their community pharmacy. Pharmacogenomics uses a person’s genetics to uncover which drugs and in what dosage work best for them...The project, called "Genomics for Precision Drug Therapy in the Community Pharmacy", was funded by the BC Pharmacy Association and Genome British Columbia with research being done by a team at the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences...he project set out to position the pharmacist as the health-care provider through which patient genetic information can be acquired, assessed and used to guide drug therapy decisions...This is where the future of pharmacy is heading...We showed that pharmacy can be the gateway to personalized medication in our communities...Regardless of the location – urban or rural – patients had a consistent, quality experience with their community pharmacist as it relates to pharmacogenomics....
- Medi-Cal Expands Access to Pharmacy-Based Immunizations (myemail.constantcontact.com)California Pharmacist Association - Payment for Pharmacist Services - White Paper (cpha.com)
Last week, the Department of Health Care Services announced the addition of a number of adult vaccines to the Medi-Cal fee-for-service outpatient drug benefit. This means that Medi-Cal beneficiaries in the statewide fee-for-service network can now receive coverage for adult immunizations when administered in a pharmacy. Newly added vaccines include those for Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, HPV, MMR, and more. Coverage does contain vaccine-specific restrictions...CPhA (California Pharmacist Association) applauds this coverage change to improve patient access to pharmacists' services. "We are excited to see momentum in many areas of SB 493 implementation, including expanded immunizations," said CPhA President Sarah McBane, PharmD. "As more of SB 493's authorities gain recognition by Medi-Cal and other payers, pharmacists stand ready to assist our patients."