Here are some of the most important news reports published in July to inform you about the most vital trends and developments affecting medication management, medication adherence, and clinical pharmacist services. Highlights include stories on readmissions, medication reviews, deprescribing, and the opioid crisis.
1. Clinical Pharmacists Significantly Improve Patient Outcomes, Advance Health Equity
A study shows that patients with personalized, clinical pharmacist-led medication management programs at federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) effectively managed complex chronic diseases and lowered the risk of death by 20%.
2. Hospitals See Lower Readmissions with More Post-Discharge Options
A study finds that health systems providing various post-discharge care options — including medication reconciliation post-discharge (MRP) — typically experienced more success in helping patients avoid readmission.
3. HEDIS MY 2023: See What's New, What's Changed and What's Retired
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) has issued its annual update to the Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS®). Among the many changes is a new measure on Deprescribing of Benzodiazepines in Older Adults (DBO).
4. Overlooked Medication Reviews for Older Adults Pose Patient Safety Risks
Research reveals that older adults could have better medication management, but most are missing out on medication reviews, reducing their risk and decreasing prescription costs.
5. Pharmacist-Based Deprescribing Reduced Prescription, Cumulative Use of High-Risk Drugs in Older Adults
A study shows that clinical pharmacists as deprescribing care coordinators reduce the use and prescription of a particularly high-risk drug in older adults. This study provides further evidence for the use of these professionals as practitioners of deprescribing.
6. Pharmacists Can Help Slow the Opioid Crisis
Clinical pharmacists review active medications, assess the need for opioids, and encourage de-escalation or discontinuation of opioid treatment. Other pharmacists can play critical roles in improving pain management and reducing rates of problematic opioid use.
7. Pharmacists Can Help Manage Patients with Parkinson's Disease
Pharmacists, including clinical pharmacists, can play an essential role in the multidisciplinary care of patients with Parkinson's disease, including assessing for adherence, identifying drug-related problems, monitoring pharmacotherapy, and providing education.
8. Antihypertensive and Statin Medication Adherence Among Medicare Beneficiaries
Research reveals opportunities to help remove barriers and support medication adherence, especially among racial/ethnic minority groups and regions at most significant risk for adverse cardiovascular outcomes.
9. Bonus video: PQA Quality Forum: Impacting Patient Outcomes Through Pharmacist-Led Virtual Care Model
In this July PQA Quality Forum, panelists Zarah Mayewski, Priyasha Sarna, and Tram Thai from Cureatr explored a pharmacist-led, patient-centered virtual care model.
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