Vitamins and other supplements: Pharmacists should collaborate with trainers
November 10th 2008Physical and personal trainers recommend supplements and OTC products to their clients without considering possible interactions with other supplements or meds. By becoming an information resource to trainers, pharmacists can take the lead in promoting safe use of these products.
Guest Spot: A personal journey through hospital pharmacy
March 19th 2007Though modest at its inception, the arc of growth of hospital pharmacy as a specialty area of practice has been virtually unprecedented in its impact and scope. Since August of 1942, when 162 stalwarts formed the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists in Denver, the role and scope of pharmacy practice in American hospitals have evolved into a central and critical element of patient care. Much of this growth is a function of the increasingly important and complex nature of drug therapy in hospital care and the overall growth of acute care in our healthcare delivery system.
Viewpoint: Is the growth in our drug tab sustainable?
March 19th 2007The levels of drug use and expenditures have changed dramatically in the past 150 years. From 1857 to 1929, information on these trends was largely anecdotal in nature. It was only in 1929 that the Department of Commerce reported its first annual census of prescription drug distribution. This was followed, in 1932, by the first annual financial analysis of independent pharmacies, supported by Eli Lilly. Then in 1939, Drug Topics conducted its first annual prescription census, using a representative sample of drugstores from every state. What follows are some observations about trends in drug pricing, using the sources cited above as well as others.
Viewpoint: A matter of degree: Let's get it right
March 5th 2007In the "B.S. vs. Pharm.D." exchanges that have been featured in these pages over recent months, one facet of the issue has been overlooked. A sine qua non of pharmacy is attention to detail, yet these exchanges have, as is so often the case, fallen into using the abbreviation "B.S." to refer incorrectly to the bachelor of science in pharmacy degree.
Viewpoint: Oral care deserves your attention
February 19th 2007Addressing the Cincinnati Dental Society back in 1883, dentist F. A. Hunter said, "Your patients will bless you; you become happy in consequence. They leave your office showering down upon you the highest encomiums, and never come back again." His subject: a new medicament to treat dental caries that was made up of a paste compounded from one pint of sorghum molasses mixed with one pound of English sparrow (yes, the bird) droppings! Small wonder the good doctor's patients never returned.
Viewpoint: Three ways to fight reduced reimbursement
February 5th 2007Independent and chain drugstore pharmacists have had to address a significant number of new issues during 2006, such as the launching of the Medicare Part D program and new demands on their professional time to assist customers. Perhaps the single most pressing issue facing R.Ph.s, however, is reimbursement. No other issue ignites more debate than how an insurance plan, government program, or patient reimburses pharmacists for their products/services. A growing number of pharmacies across the country are falling into debt, laying off workers, and facing closure due to inadequate reimbursement levels and slow payment. This article summarizes the reimbursement plight pharmacists find themselves in and reviews three attempts under way to help resolve this issue.