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 the first month of 2022. Highlights include stories on burnout, expanding pharmacist roles, drug costs, medication literacy, and Mark Cuban.
1. Report Finds That Medication Management Safety Concerns Are Contributing to Provider Burnout
A survey of 500 healthcare providers found poor medication management was contributing to stress and burnout.
2. Pharmacists' Role to Expand Amid Pandemic and Provider Shortages
Research reveals that amid growing provider shortages, pharmacists are projected to play an increasingly integral role in care management.
3. Out-of-Pocket Prescription Drug Cost Burden Begets Health Disparities
Federal data show out-of-pocket prescription drug costs are a problem for millions of Medicare beneficiaries but are especially pressing for Black and Latino people. When prescription drugs aren't affordable, medication adherence declines.
4. Diabetes Deprescribing In the Elderly: Less Is More
Pharmacists are in a good position to identify medications that can be deprescribed for patients and manage this process, experts said at the annual meeting of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy.
5. Polypharmacy, Certain Medication Classes Seem to Worsen COVID-19 Outcomes
Research has found that polypharmacy is associated with increased risk of adverse clinical outcomes among COVID-19 patients, with antipsychotics, non-tricyclic antidepressants, opioid analgesics, and drugs for peptic ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux disease among those drug classes associated with such outcomes.
6. As COVID-19 Comes and Goes, Is Remote Work Here to Stay?
A survey during the 2021 ASHP Conference for Pharmacy Leaders suggested that many aspects of pharmacy practice are likely to stay remote, regardless of the trajectory of the pandemic.
7. Medication Literacy: A Helpful Concept for Understanding Medication Decision Making Among Older Adults
The AARP Public Policy Institute has issued a new report focused on medication literacy. The report includes a call for insurers to strengthen coverage of and access to services that improve medication literacy, such as medication reconciliation.
8. High Deductibles Leading to Reduced Medication Adherence Among Patients with Diabetes
A study found that health plans with high deductibles are also associated with medication non-adherence.
9. ISMP Adds New Medication Safety Best Practices
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) introduced three new targeted medication safety best practices for 2022-2023 intended to help prevent errors with oxytocin and high-alert medications and reduce medication use errors by expanding barcode administration to non-inpatient areas.
10. Billionaire Mark Cuban Launches Online Pharmacy Aimed at Lowering Generic Drug Prices
Mark Cuban, billionaire investor and Dallas Mavericks owner, launched an online pharmacy for generic drugs. The launch came several weeks after the company established its own pharmacy benefit manager.
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