Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Evaluate 503b Facilities For Outsourced Compounds, Sarah Clemente, Brittany Riley, Alberto Coustasse

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

The US health care system has encountered long-standing, complex challenges, including growing costs, overuse of care, staffing shortages and supply chain weaknesses. COVID-19 revived these pressures, transforming the health care landscape. Medication and staffing shortages plague hospital systems, and pharmacies are not exempt. Most health systems have experienced high levels of pharmacy technician turnover, with most reporting a minimum turnover rate of 21% last year. In addition, medication shortages of critical medications and infusions create significant workflow barriers that hospitals must address to ensure patient safety. In the face of these obstacles, health systems are turning to 503B compounding facilities …

Radio Frequency Identification Enhances Patient Safety, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse, Ken Maxik

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that uses tags and readers to identify and collect asset information. In pharmacies, this usually means RFID is used for high cost equipment or pharmaceuticals. RFID applications have been in use for many years but recently gained traction in health systems. RFID is becoming particularly effective in drug inventory and automation applications, such as medication carousels and pick-to-light systems.

Detect Adverse Events And Medication Errors Using Technology, Kenneth Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Technology has changed the practice of pharmacy. Many systems are now part of an ever increasingly interfaced or integrated health care system allowing the electronic exchange of prescriptions from electronic health records (EHRs) to the pharmacy information system and bidirectional data exchange for many items, such as lab results and test information. With meaningful use of automated distribution cabinet databases, EHR efforts, electronic data exchange, and smart pump technology, the availability of data to use for addressing and preventing adverse medication events has grown. Use of these systems has allowed a data-rich environment to store and retrieve reporting. Mining data …

Change Management Is A Consideration Beyond The Pandemic, Kenneth Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Change management (CM) is a well-organized framework for managing the people side of change. It includes practices, processes, and planned activities designed to facilitate and lead organizations to move from the present state to a desired state. The goal of CM is not to eliminate resistance but to anticipate it, proactively plan for it, continuously manage it, and mitigate the consequences.

Consider Real Costs Before Implementing A 340b Program, Kenneth Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

The 340B drug pricing program was created to improve access to outpatient medications for low-income and underinsured r uninsured patients. It has exponentially grown with the expansion of the definition of a covered entity and the change to allow multiple contract pharmacies. Still, there are debates about the program’s financial impact and whether the discounts are passed along to enough underinsured or uninsured patients.

Prepare The Pharmacy For The Next Crisis: A Well-Drafted Business Continuity Plan Enables Continued Operations, Mitigates Potential Risks., Kenneth Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

The purpose of continuity planning is to ensure that dispensing operations continue, that pharmacy information systems’ data remain protected and accessible, and that telecommunications to support critical organization function during and after business interruption. Interruptions can occur for various reasons, such as earthquakes, fires, flooding, hurricanes, pandemics, power loss, tornadoes, and wildfires. Devising a crisis continuity plan can enable pharmacies to continue to provide patient care, ensure staff safety, and maintain financial viability after a disaster. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and the resulting business closures brought about by the shutdown have highlighted this need to plan for all …

How Do Pharmacies Evaluate Cleanroom Automation Systems?, Kenneth Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse, Chris Booth

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Many pharmacies have implemented or considered implementing cleanroom automation or compounding systems. Intravenous (IV) admixture automation is one of the newest areas of technology that has been applied to pharmacy workflow. Manufacturers tout systems for reducing errors reaching patients. Clinical literature supports that cleanroom technology can aid in patient safety.

Cost-Effectiveness Of Using Standardized Patients To Assess Student-Pharmacist Communication Skills, Chris Gillette, Robert B. Stanton, Nicole Rockich-Winston, Michael Rudolph, H. Glenn Anderson Jr.

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective. To explore the cost-effectiveness of including standardized patients (SP) in the didactic curriculum for application and assessment of students’ pharmacist-patient communication skills.

Methods. Five role play/case study (RP/CS) activities from a communication skills curriculum were replaced with five SP encounters. Communication was assessed using a rubric. This study developed an economic model to examine the costs and effectiveness of replacing RP/CS events with SP events in knowledge-application and communication assessment. Costs consisted of SP hourly wages for training and delivery of SP events. Outcomes examined were the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) per student.

Results. The ICER comparing SP to …

Leadership And Management Are One And The Same, Neelam Azad, H. Glenn Anderson Jr., Amie Brooks, Oscar Garza, Christine O’Neil, Misty M. Stutz, Jenelle L. Sobotka

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Defining the attributes of change catalysts within high functioning organizations, including the academic enterprise, is desirable. An understanding of these attributes within our academy may foster faculty interest and engagement in seeking administrative roles and serve to bolster succession planning within our schools. On one hand, there have been numerous publications teasing out the purported differences between leadership and management. On the other hand, does segregating these important characteristics based upon arbitrary distinctions do more harm than good? This commentary represents the work of a group of academic leaders participating in the 2015-2016 AACP Academic Leadership Fellowship Program. This work …

Improving Pharmacy Student Communication Outcomes Using Standardized Patients, Chris Gillette, Michael Rudolph, Nicole Rockich-Winston, Robert B. Stanton, H. Glenn Anderson Jr.

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective. To examine whether standardized patient encounters led to an improvement in a student pharmacist-patient communication assessment compared to traditional active-learning activities within a classroom setting.

Methods. A quasi-experimental study was conducted with second-year pharmacy students in a drug information and communication skills course. Student patient communication skills were assessed using high-stakes communication assessment.

Results. Two hundred and twenty students’ data were included. Students were significantlymore likely to have higher scores on the communication assessment when they had higher undergraduate GPAs, were female, and taught using standardized patients. Similarly, students were significantly more likely to pass the assessment on the …

Comparison Of Pharmaceutical Calculations Learning Outcomes Achieved Within A Traditional Lecture Or Flipped Classroom Andragogy, H. Glenn Anderson Jr., Lisa Frazier, Stephanie L. Anderson, Robert B. Stanton, Chris Gillette, Kim Broedel-Zaugg, Kevin W. Yingling

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective. To compare learning outcomes achieved from a pharmaceutical calculations course taught in a traditional lecture (lecture model) and a flipped classroom (flipped model).

Methods. Students were randomly assigned to the lecture model and the flipped model. Course instructors, content, assessments, and instructional time for both models were equivalent. Overall group performance and pass rates on a standardized assessment (Pcalc OSCE) were compared at six weeks and at six months post-course completion.

Results. Student mean exam scores in the flipped model were higher than those in the lecture model at six weeks and six months later. Significantly more students passed …

Assessment Of Texan Pharmacists' Attitudes, Behaviors, And Preferences Related To Continuing Pharmacy Education, Fadi M. Alkhateeb, Omar F. Attarabeen, Alameddine Sarah

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Background: Whether the available Continuing Education (CE) programs meet pharmacists’ continuously increasing needs and preferences is open to question.

Objectives: to investigate pharmacists’ perceptions and attitudes concerning available CE programs, evaluate the pharmacists’ choices with regard to selecting among different CE programs, and investigate the factors that are associated with preference to utilize online CE programs.

Method: A 17-question survey was developed and mailed to a random sample of 600 Texan pharmacists. In addition to collecting basic demographic information, the survey investigated pharmacists’ choices with regard to delivery and content of CE programs, motivations to participation in CE programs, and …

Reliability Assessment Of A Peer Evaluation Instrument In A Team-Based Learning Course, Joy Wahawisan, Miguel Salazar, Robin Walters, Fadi M. Alkhateeb, Omar F. Attarabeen

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective: To evaluate the reliability of a peer evaluation instrument in a longitudinal team-based learning setting.

Methods: Student pharmacists were instructed to evaluate the contributions of their peers. Evaluations were analyzed for the variance of the scores by identifying low, medium, and high scores. Agreement between performance ratings within each group of students was assessed via intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC).

Results: We found little variation in the standard deviation (SD) based on the score means among the high, medium, and low scores within each group. The lack of variation in SD of results between groups suggests that …

Workload Perceptions Of Pharmacists: Part Of Changing A National Trend, Fadi M. Alkhateeb, Omar F. Attarabeen, David Latif, Rachel Deliere

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Background: A National Pharmacist Workforce Survey (NPW) survey is being conducted in the US every five years. The 2009- NPW project surveyed 1,391 participants, of which only 12 participants were from West Virginia. Therefore, such a small representation of West Virginian pharmacists may question the validity of extrapolating the results of the 2009 NPW survey to pharmacists in this state. As a result, a separate survey was needed to answer the questions about the perceived workload, work characteristics, and demographics for West Virginian pharmacists.

Objectives: The primary objective of this investigation was to identify the pharmacists’ perceptions of workload in …

Availability And Perceived Value Of Bachelor Of Science Programs In Pharmaceutical Marketing And Management In The United States, Omar F. Attarabeen, Fadi M. Alkhateeb

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Several academic institutions across the United States offer Bachelor of Science degree programs in Pharmaceutical Marketing and/or Management. In general, these programs are designed to provide students with stronger foundations and a broader understanding of the business side of pharmacy. The purpose of this study was to explore the availability of the Bachelor of Science programs in pharmaceutical marketing and management in the United States. Internet search was conducted in order to collect information about the programs of interest. Results showed that a total of 8 schools and colleges offer the Bachelor of Science degree programs. The total number of …

The Impact Of A Community Pharmacist Conducted Comprehensive Medication Review (Cmr) On 30-Day Re-Admission Rates And Increased Patient Satisfaction Scores: A Pilot Study, Brittany Snodgrass, Charles K. Babcock, Anne Teichman

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective: To determine the impact of pharmacist conducted Comprehensive Medication Review (CMR) follow-up within seven days after discharge on (1) readmission rates, (2) detection of drug related problems, (3) and changes in Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores.

Design: Rates of re-admission for pneumonia, congestive heart failure (CHF), or myocardial infarction (MI), within 30 days of discharge are compared between patients receiving a CMR from the pharmacist to a historical control group not receiving the service. The CMR documentation is reviewed to classify any detected drug related problems. Overall HCAHPS scores for the hospital are compared …

Impact Of Pharmacist Intervention On Institutional Adherence To National Hospital Inpatient Quality Measures, Abigail Hay Pharmd, Cathy Shely Pharmd, Flint Russett Pharmd

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective:

The purpose of this study is to determine institutional adherence to specific quality measures following pharmacist intervention.

Methods:

Based on the current practice model, quality measures were analyzed to determine which measures a pharmacist would best be able to impact.

A retrospective review of the indicated quality measures for fiscal year 2011 was conducted to determine baseline performance.

Results:

The measures chosen were: • Selection of perioperative prophylactic antibiotics •Duration of post‐operative antibiotics •Venous thromboembolism prophylaxis •Antibiotic selection in patients with pneumonia •Pneumococcal vaccination status.

Conclusions:

Current average performance on some of the quality measures is not at the …

Reliability And Credibility Of Progress Test Criteria, Developed By Alumni, Faculty, And Mixed Alumni-Faculty Judge Panels, H. Glenn Anderson Pharmd, Arthur A. Nelson Phd

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Objective. To compare the reliability and credibility of Angoff-based, absolute criteria derived by faculty, alumni, and a combination of alumni and faculty judge panels.

Methods. Independently, faculty, alumni, and mixed faculty-alumni judge panels developed pass/fail criteria for an 86-item test. Generalizability and decision studies were performed. Root mean square errors (RMSE) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for reliability and credibility assessment. School graduate performance upon the North American Licensure Examination (NAPLEX) was the comparator for credibility assessment.

Results. RMSEs were 1.06%, 1.42%, and 2.32% for the alumni, faculty, and mixed judge panels respectively. The school's NAPLEX pass rate was …

Implementing Pharmacy Informatics In College Curricula: The Aacp Technology In Pharmacy Education And Learning Special Interest Group, Ross E. Vanderbush, H. Glenn Anderson Jr., William K. Fant, Brad S. Fujisaki, Patrick M. Malone, Paul L. Price, Maria C. Pruchnicki, Teresa L. Sterling, Kara D. Weatherman, Karl G. Williams

Pharmacy Practice & Administration

Many professional organizations have initiatives to increase the awareness and use of informatics in the practice of pharmacy. Within education we must respond to these initiatives and make technology integral to all aspects of the curriculum, inculcating in students the importance of technology in practice. This document proposes 5 central domains for organizing planning related to informatics and technology within pharmacy education. The document is intended to encourage discussion of informatics within pharmacy education and the implications of informatics in future pharmacy practice, and to guide colleges of pharmacy in identifying and analyzing informatics topics to be taught and methods …