Pharmacy Administration, Policy and Regulation Commons^™

Artificial Intelligence Is Revolutionizing Controlled Substance Diversion Detection, Brian Cox, Alberto Coustasse, Craig Kimble

Management Faculty Research

In community and institutional health care sectors, artificial intelligence (AI) use is expanding. AI is being tapped broadly in operations, customer service, and scheduling, with major pharmacy chains such as Kroger, CVS, and Walgreens, already starting to implement AI applications in their pharmacies. So far, Kroger has begun to use AI for employee onboarding and training processes, CVS is applying AI in negotiations with suppliers, and Walgreens is using it to streamline vaccine scheduling. With these advances in major pharmacy chains, the next extensive application for AI has become clearer: diversion monitoring. Diversion occurs in health care settings when a …

Navigating The Path To Safe Compounding In Health Systems, Thomas Pile, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Across the country health systems are facing increasing drug shortages that are forcing pharmacists to rely far more heavily on compounding to meet the needs of patients. Additionally, several high-profile compounding incidents have helped highlight the importance of ensuring best practices are followed during sterile and nonsterile compounding to support patient safety and high-quality care. Specifically, in 2022, 160 drug shortages were reported in pharmacies. From January 1, 2023, to March 31, 2023, 47 drug shortages were reported, 55% of which were for injectables. In response, compounding has increasingly become a solution to bridge that gap.

Closed-System Transfer Devices Reduce Exposure To Contaminants, Ken Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

Closed-system transfer devices (CSTDs) are used during the preparation of hazardous drugs (HDs) as a mechanism to reduce the transfer of drugs or vapors into the environment. When evaluating these systems, pharmacists should consider which drugs in the pharmacy would benefit the safety of health care workers and patients using the systems. Medication types include neoplastic agents, such as bleomycin, cisplatin, and methotrexate, and other agents, such as cyclosporine, oxytocin, and progesterone.

Gabapentin Presents High Potential For Misuse, Alberto Coustasse, Stacie Deslich, Susan W. Lanham, Brittany Riley

Management Faculty Research

The FDA Approved Gabapentin in 1993 as a non-controlled substance and it has remained a non-controlled substance at the federal level. The drug was created as an anticonvulsant and used to treat seizure disorders. The medication has also been used to treat hot flashes, neuropathic pain, pain, postoperative nausea, substance abuse issues, and vomiting. It is estimated that approximately 1% of people in the United States misuse gabapentin. This fact has compelled certain states to generate legislative initiatives designed to monitor the use and/or reclassify gabapentin. In 2019, US pharmacies dispensed 69 million prescriptions for gabapentin.

Law Helps Ensure Safety Of The Supply Chain, Kenneth Maxik, Craig Kimble, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The Drug Quality and Security Act was signed into law on November 27, 2013, and included the Title 2 Drug Supply Chain and Security Act (DSCSA). This legislation was introduced to enact a federal prescription drug safety standard to decrease contamination, counterfeiting, diversion, and otherwise harmful illicit activities. It also improves the detection and elimination of potentially unsafe drugs from the drug supply chain to protect US consumers.

The 340b Program, Contract Pharmacies, Hospitals, And Patients: An Evolving Relationship Impacting Health Care Delivery, Morgan Ruley, Morgan Belcher, Hannah Sayre, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, created by Congress in 1992 through the Veterans Health Care Act, has provided discounted drug prices to hospitals and other health care organizations serving a wide population of low-income patients. Some 340B programs use contract pharmacies, an arrangement whereby the hospital or health care organization signs a contract directly with a pharmacy to provide covered pharmacy services at discounted prices. The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program has provided access to reduced price prescription drugs to more than 35 000 individual health care facilities and sites certified by the US Department of Health and Human Services, …

The 340b Program, Contract Pharmacies And Hospitals: An Examination Of The First 25 Years Of Their Increasingly Complex Relationship, David P. Paul Iii, Morgan Cathlene Ludado, Morgan Ruley, Hannah Sayre, Alberto Coustasse

Management Faculty Research

The 340B Drug Pricing Program, created by Congress in 1992 through the Veterans Health Care Act, has provided discounted drug prices to hospitals and other health care organizations serving a wide population of low-income patients. Some 340B programs use contract pharmacies, an arrangement whereby the hospital or health care organization signs a contract directly with a pharmacy to provide covered pharmacy services at discounted prices.

The federal 340B Drug Pricing Program has provided access to reduced price prescription drugs to over 35,000 individual healthcare facilities and sites certified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and clinics …