Month: October 2021

By Carson Goff
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October 28, 2019

Pharmacists are increasingly playing a role in opioid stewardship programs. The recently published results of the National Survey of Pharmacy Practice in Hospital Settings – 2018 found that 70 percent of pharmacists play a role in diversion detection and 57 percent are likely to be involved in clinical utilization review.

The survey, which analyzes the pharmacy’s role in drug therapy monitoring and patient education, included responses from pharmacy directors in 811 U.S. general and children’s hospitals.

The pharmacy directors who responded indicated that the most common strategies their hospitals are employing for opioid stewardship programs are clinician education (71 percent), prescription drug monitoring program checks (65 percent) and diversion detection programs (55 percent).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) encourages pharmacists to take an active role in preventing opioid misuse. The CDC asks them to look for “red flags” that could indicate a patient might be struggling with opioid use disorder or diverting medications. This can be done through checking the state’s prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) or a patient’s records.

The CDC encourages pharmacists and prescribers to work together as part of the care team. The pharmacist should contact the prescriber with questions or concerns, talk to the patient and submit information to the PDMP.

Both the survey and the CDC place the pharmacist in a role as patient educator alongside the prescriber. The CDC recommends that pharmacists counsel patients on:

  1. Proper use of their medication
  2. Side effects
  3. Expectations surrounding medication refills
  4. The dangers of stockpiling medication
  5. Safe storage and disposal

Keeping lines of communication open is critical so that pharmacists and prescribers can work hand-in-hand to prevent opioid misuse. For additional tips on communicating with patients and ways a pharmacist can start a conversation, read the CDC’s handout Pharmacists on the Front Lines.

 

 Sources

  1. ASHP (American Society of Health-System Pharmacists). (3 July 2019). Hospitals address opioid crisis via stewardship with strong pharmacist involvement. Medical Express. https://medicalxpress.com/news/2019-07-hospitals-opioid-crisis-stewardship-strong.html
  2. Dyson, T. (3 July 2019). Opioid stewardship programs help prevent misuse in hospitals. UPI. https://www.upi.com/Health_News/2019/07/03/Opioid-stewardship-programs-help-prevent-misuse-in-hospitals/1571562178660/
  3. Pharmacists: On the front lines addressing prescription opioid abuse and overdose. https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/pdf/pharmacists_brochure-a.pdf
By Lauren VanDenBoom
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April 16, 2019

One of the side effects of healthcare being a relevant topic of discussion around the world is people becoming more aware of what they are receiving from the healthcare industry. Combine that level of attention with the increasing level of complexity in healthcare, and you create pressure to make every patient interaction worthwhile.

The result is that over the past few years, there has been an increased focus around providing “high-value care” to patients whenever possible. But aren’t all healthcare interactions high value? Let’s take a moment and understand a little more.

Improving Patient Outcomes with High-Value Care

There are a few different definitions for the term “high-value care,” and they all touch on different aspects of the main point. The American College of Physicians sees high-value care as efforts that “improve health, avoid harms, and eliminate wasteful practices.” According to the Institute of Health, high-value care is defined as “the best care for the patient, with the optimal result for the circumstances, delivered at the right price.”

There are a few other definitions floating around, but they all share that common theme. What connects them is the ability for physicians and care providers to know what the right practice is for each patient so they can provide the best possible care. If physicians had access to information that empowered them to make the right call after a single visit with a patient, they’d use it every time, wouldn’t they? This type of access means the patient gets the right treatment as soon as possible, which is what everyone wants at the end of the day.

That was a hypothetical example of course, but health systems around the world are getting better at utilizing data to make better clinical decisions for their patients. Platforms such as hc1 are paving the way in accessing previously underutilized data such as patient lab tests to better equip physicians and health systems with information to improve patient outcomes across the board.

Reducing Medical Spend Through High-Value Care

You can read two meanings into the word “value” in “high-value care.” The first meaning is to make sure any medical interactions that patients have are worthwhile and helpful with whatever medical issue they may be having. The second side of the coin is to make sure that the monetary value of healthcare reflects the quality of the service provided. It’s an important piece of the larger picture.

Of course, this means that hospitals and health systems should strive to keep the costs of their procedures as low as possible, but it also means, as the American College of Physicians called it, “eliminating wasteful practices.” There are clear areas for improvement in areas like overtesting and overprescribing. If physicians can lower the number of tests and prescriptions it takes to improve the patient’s outcome, the patient will not only be better faster, but the amount they’ll have to pay through their own wallet or through insurance is reduced.

The area of overtesting is one where health systems can use a lot of help, given the complexities and amount of information that physicians have to keep up with on a daily basis. After McLaren Health brought on hc1 to better utilize their lab results, they saw a 43% drop in lipid panels ordered and a reduction in CKMB exceptions from 132 to 0. In addition to reducing overtesting on patients, cutting the costs of these unnecessary tests across a health system also contributes to lower healthcare costs in the long run.

No matter which way you look at it, high-value care means always keeping the patient in mind when making decisions. Whether you’re reducing the amount of time spent in the waiting room or the amount of money spent for the appointment, high-value care starts with making sure that the right patient gets the right test and the right prescription. To learn more about how hc1 can help you achieve that same mission, request a demo of our software today.

By Lauren VanDenBoom
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August 30, 2019

Opioid take-back days and safe disposal sites are becoming common sights in many communities, but why? Why is having an extra bottle of pills on the shelf such a big deal? Why is keeping medication on the kitchen counter or in easy reach such an issue?

  • Every 10 minutes a child visits the emergency room for medication poisoning.
  • Three in five teens say prescription pain medication is easy to get from their parents’ medicine cabinet.
  • 5 million people age 12 and older misused opioids in the last year.

Whether there are children or teens in the home or not, opioids in plain sight or in a convenient location like a kitchen or medicine cabinet can be quickly and quietly stolen by visitors, housekeepers, home repairers and even family or friends. As a rule, medications should always be stored and disposed of safely. Healthcare providers should coach patients on safe storage and disposal habits when first prescribing medication and at least once a year as a reminder for patients who regularly take medication.

Some key dos and don’ts:

  • Do keep controlled medications in a secure, discreet location in the home. A locked container is preferable. Store the key or combination separately.
  • Do keep medication out of plain sight and out of reach of visitors, children, pets, friends and family.
  • Don’t tell anyone (including family members) not directly involved in care that controlled medications are in the home. Even when picking up medications at the pharmacy, keep conversations about controlled medications private.
  • Do be discreet in taking medication, especially when doing so when others are nearby or in a public location, such as a restaurant.
  • Do dispose of expired or no longer used medication safely. Many retail pharmacies and police departments have convenient facilities for safe disposal. To find a location, Google “Drug Disposal Location Near Me” or visit the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Drug Disposal Locator.

More information for patients and healthcare providers: