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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.

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).

One-third of patients with serious mental illnesses are completely unaware that certain medications they take are associated with elevated blood glucose, blood pressure, and cholesterol.

The American Heart Association (AHA) is urging women of childbearing age to take a multivitamin with folic acid to increase the chance that their babies will be born with a healthy heart.

NHIA said the legislation would close a gap in Medicare drug coverage that is affecting the sickest, most vulnerable patients.