Pharmacists of the Future: Transforming Patient Care
Trust, Technology, Training All Key to The Pharmacy of the Future
New research released in early January (link below), shows that amid growing physician shortages, pharmacists in the U.S. are not only highly trusted by patients, but they are forecast to play an increasingly integral role in care management. Key takeaways:
- From Provider Respondents:
- 63.4% agree or strongly agree that pharmacists will play a greater role in preventive care activities
- 51.1% agree or strongly agree pharmacists will have greater specialization in specific diseases
- From Patient Respondents:
- 77.3% agree or strongly agree that the pharmacist is an integral member of the care team
- From Pharmacist Respondents:
- 70.8% agree or strongly agree that automation will lead to reductions in human error
- 86.1% agree or strongly agree that technology
Columbia University Study on Pharmacy Practice Transformation
If you are a pharmacy and are looking to improve your clinical outcomes and operational efficiency through automated patient notifications, mobile apps, MedSync or hosted IVR solutions, please contact MarkeTouch. 1-800-840-8111
Vaccine Tracker
According to the CDC, as of 1/25/2021:
- 659 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been delivered and
- 535 million doses of vaccine have been administered
This accounts for the following percentages of fully vaccinated people in the U.S.:
- Total pop = 63.4%
- 5+ years =67.4%
- 12+ years = 72.2%
- 18+ years = 73.9%
- 65+ years = 88.2%
Boosters: 40.1% of fully vaccinated people have received a booster dose.
Potential Drug Interactions with Paxlovid
Before prescribing, clinicians should carefully review concomitant medications, including over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements, to evaluate the potential for drug-drug interactions.
Paxlovid has been given an Emergency Use Authorization for the treatment of patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who are within 5 days of symptom onset and at high risk of progression to severe disease. The dose for patients with normal renal function is Nirmatrelvir 300mg with ritonavir 100mg, administered together, twice daily for 5 days.
Before prescribing ritonavir-boosted nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid), clinicians should carefully review all concomitant medications, including over-the-counter medicines and herbal supplements, to evaluate the potential for drug-drug interactions.
Ritonavir is an FDA-approved drug that has been used for more than two decades as a pharmacologic boosting agent for certain anti-HIV medications. There is a large body of literature describing its use with other drugs and its potential for serious and sometimes life-threatening drug-drug interactions.
COVID Drug Interaction Checker
FDA Revises Monoclonal Antibodies EUA Due to the Omicron Variant
In light of the most recent information and data available, today, the FDA revised the authorizations for two monoclonal antibody treatments – bamlanivimab and etesevimab (administered together) and REGEN-COV (casirivimab and imdevimab) – to limit their use to only when the patient is likely to have been infected with or exposed to a variant that is susceptible to these treatments. Because data show these treatments are highly unlikely to be active against the omicron variant, which is circulating at a very high frequency throughout the United States, these treatments are not authorized for use in any U.S. states, territories, and jurisdictions at this time. In the future, if patients in certain geographic regions are likely to be infected or exposed to a variant that is susceptible to these treatments, then use of these treatments may be authorized in these regions.
Pharmacies to Offer N95 Masks to Customers Across the U.S.
The government announced last week that 400 million N95 masks will be distributed to pharmacies and community health centers, with the program expected to be fully up and running by early February.
The masks are arriving at the pharmacies with accompanying flyers and signage from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS provided funding for the masks and which are coming from the Strategic National Stockpile. Every person is allowed up to 3 free masks, pending availability.
How to Properly Put on and Take off a Disposable Respirator
MarkeTouch Media is now part of EnlivenHealth™
On January 4, 2022 Omnicell, Inc. acquired MarkeTouch Media. The acquisition is expected to expand the footprint of Omnicell’s EnlivenHealth division across the retail pharmacy sector, while enhancing potential growth opportunities in new market segments like specialty pharmacy and pharmacy benefits management.
The addition of MarkeTouch Media’s mobile and web-based technology and patient engagement solutions to EnlivenHealth’s suite of industry-leading SaaS-based solutions is expected to create a comprehensive offering that will help pharmacies and health plans to thrive while improving the lifelong health of their patients and members.
“We are thrilled to be joining with one of the most respected and innovative medication management technology leaders in the industry,” said Charles Russo, chief executive officer of MarkeTouch Media. “The combination of our mobile and web-based capabilities and patient engagement solutions with EnlivenHealth’s broad portfolio of digital technology solutions will create a robust offering that will help pharmacies and health plans continue to achieve better patient health outcomes and business results.”
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