To keep you better informed about the biggest trends and developments affecting medication management, medication adherence, and pharmacy services, here are 10 of the most significant news reports published in December 2020. Highlights include stories on the role of pharmacists and COVID-19 vaccine distribution, medication adherence challenges, commonly misused drugs, automated prescription kiosks, and the opioid crisis.
1. Pharmacists Expected To Play Big Role In Vaccine Rollout
2. Three Challenges in Medication Adherence That Can Be Overcome by Pharmacists
Patients may not feel empowered to control their own health; patients may be unable to access medications and unaware of helpful options; health literacy limitations could prevent patients from understanding and following treatment plans: These are medication adherence challenges discussed in a Pharmacy Times column that can be addressed by pharmacists.
3. Are You Prescribing These Commonly Misused Drugs?
An MDLinx column identifies medications commonly taken in excess to help physicians better avoid overprescribing.
4. Techs Play an Essential Role in Telepharmacy
Pharmacy Times examines the role of pharmacy technicians in a telepharmacy, how the role differs from the traditional pharmacy setting, and how telepharmacy provides an elevated role beyond what is typically available.
5. Feds Look to Pharmacists to Boost Childhood Immunization Rates
Kaiser Health News discusses the hope of federal officials that pharmacists will play an integral role in helping reverse the slump in child immunization rates caused by the pandemic.
6. Advancing Pharmacy Practice in a Rural Area
Pharmacy Times reports on an analysis of the Northern Navajo Medical Center that found pharmacists practicing at the top of their license can significantly improve access to care, particularly concerning medication management.
7. Review Outlines Pharmacists' Role in Migraine Management
An article in The American Journal of Managed Care discusses a recently published review that saw researchers advocating for increased pharmacist intervention in migraine medication management, among other highlights.
8. Study: People More Likely to Pick Up Prescriptions Via Automated Kiosks
A study revealed that patients using an automated kiosk led to better prescription pickup rates without sacrificing pharmacist instruction.
9. How to Improve Hypertension Medication Adherence for BP Control
Medication adherence among patients with hypertension remains low, notes the American Medical Association. It shares several ways to strengthen hypertension medication adherence to help improve blood pressure control.
10. Mitigating the Opioid Crisis Among Seniors During the COVID-19 Pandemic
COVID-19 has stalled the progress being made to resolve the opioid crisis, as a Pharmacy Times column notes. Its author calls for a collaborative effort to fight the opioid crisis during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.
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