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In proposed legislation that could save millions of taxpayer dollars in drug costs, the U.S. Senate is considering extending current 340B program discounts to include inpatients.

Changes in the health-care workplace environment have put an increased emphasis on the importance of leadership skills to help address this challenge.

Your smart infusion pumps-are they winners or also-rans? One of the first head-to-head technology comparisons by third-party consultants has some answers. Cardinal's Alaris system got top marks from leaders in pharmacy, nursing, information technology (IT), and other hospital departments. Out of a possible 100 points, Alaris got 89.8 for product technology, vendor service, product performance, business impact, and percentage of positive user comments. B. Braun's Outlook system came in second with 88.3, followed by Hospira's Plum A+/ MedNet at 85.9. Baxter's COLLEAGUE system ended a distant fourth at 61.2. Sigma missed the race entirely.

ASHP has released ResiTrak, a Web-based tool expected to enhance the mentoring of pharmacy residents enrolled in their residency learning system while facilitating the administrative process for preceptors and program directors.

The move toward all-electronic health records is gathering momentum and support. Just over 38% of U.S. hospitals now use EHRs, according to a recent survey conducted by ASHP, up 31% in 2007. In hospitals that use EHRs, 94% of pharmacies have access to patient records.

An interim action that the Joint Commission initially viewed as a relief to hospitals regarding the timeline for pharmacists' review of emergency department medication orders was suspended after 14 weeks because the accrediting organization realized it had instead created a huge burden.

Causes and treatment for repeat nocturnia

R.Ph.s are making an impact on treating metabolic syndrome by paying attention to the differences between antipsychotics

In an effort to keep pace with advances in the management of infectious complications in immunosuppressed cancer patients who are hospitalized, the National Comprehensive Cancer Network has released updated guidelines for the prevention and treatment of cancer-related infections.

New guidelines for the treatment of acute ischemic stroke continue to endorse the use of intravenous tissue-type plasminogen activator while now including recommendations for palliative care.

Doctors are hopeful that a new treatment using patients' own cells to treat prostate cancer will be approved by the FDA, although the approval has been delayed. Patient cells may trigger immune response that will fight cancer cells.

A new electronic system helps emergency departments circumvent drug diversion

Preventing and treating pneumonia in critically ill patients.

Responding to hospital customers' demand for environmentally friendly products, the major intravenous container manufacturers are going "green." Hospira Inc., Baxter Healthcare, and B. Braun Medical are shipping more and more containers made from PVC (polyvinyl chloride)- and DEHP (di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate)-free materials.

The publication of the National Formulary of Unofficinal Preparations along with the U.S. Pharmacopeia was essential to the transition to a new industrial age. Still, as pharmacists quickly learned, it also opened up the secret science of pharmacy to a new level of competition.

Delegates at the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy debate ePedigrees, medical errors, and Internet pharmacies

There are plenty of safety challenges relative to drug stores and the answers may rest with better trained staff, more patient information, and e-prescribing.

The FDA has approved a new oral contraceptive for continuous use.

The FDA recently approved temsirolimus (Torisel, Wyeth) for the treatment of advanced kidney cancer.

To get your feedback on what’s happening in pharmacy, Drug Topics has set up a blog for its publisher, Joe Laborsky, R.Ph. The first blog, about drug errors, is a response to the recent ABC “20/20” show on the subject.

In light of recently published data regarding the cardiovascular risks of rosiglitazone (Avandia, GlaxoSmithKline), the American Diabetes Association is strongly encouraging patients to consult their physician if they are currently taking the drug.

The General Merchandise Distributors Council (GMDC) has undertaken a major rebranding initiative. The association has become the Global Market Development Center, to more accurately articulate its role in serving globally focused wholesalers, retailers, and suppliers.

Walgreens is offering medication advice to help pharmacy patients prepare for hurricane season, which officially started on June 1.

Rite Aid Corp. announced that FTC has accepted the proposed consent agreement relating to Rite Aid's acquisition of the Brooks and Eckerd drugstore chains from The Jean Coutu Group Inc.

Walgreens Health Initiatives (WHI), a Walgreens company, was the highest rated PBM nationally in overall member satisfaction among the 18 major PBMs evaluated in the 2007 WilsonRx PBM Member Satisfaction Survey. WHI was top rated in several measures of satisfaction, including: overall coverage of retail prescriptions, information provided about medications, and overall coverage of branded and generic medications.

Primary care physicians are more willing than endocrinologists to prescribe Exubera (insulin recombinant human, Pfizer), and half of managed care pharmacy directors indicated they will not cover the inhaled insulin on their formulary on the basis of improved compliance alone.

The vast majority of pharmacists that responded to an on-line poll concluded that the "20/20" television expos? on drug errors had no impact on the way they practice pharmacy.

The Texas legislature passed a $153 billion budget that includes a higher Medicaid dispensing fee as well as stipulations to direct savings from the switch to average manufacturers price (AMP) to pharmacists. The bill, which has yet to be signed by Gov. Rick Perry, represents the most comprehensive approach yet taken by a state to deflect the expected impact of CMS' plan to use the AMP to determine pharmacy reimbursement.

Pharmacy had a hand in saving the two humpback whales stranded in a tributary to the San Francisco Bay. The whales were given compounded antibiotics to protect against infections.

NABP has accredited Redi-Mail Direct Marketing as a Verified-Accredited Wholesale Distributor (VAWD).