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NACDS Begins Innovative Pharmacogenomics Program

admin2016-09-29T11:55:20-04:00Categories: Article|Tags: Medications, Pharmacy_Value|

NACDS co-hosted its inaugural Test2Learn™ Community-Based Pharmacogenomics Certificate Program with the University of Pittsburgh this week. NACDS and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy adapted Test2Learn ™ from an innovative University platform that enables students to learn by using real genetic data in highly-interactive exercises.

There is currently a culture shift towards personalizing medicine, and we’re working in parallel with that shift by offering community pharmacy an education program to advance patient outcomes.

The certificate program includes online home study and in-person live components, including an optional activity for learners to undergo personal genomic testing. Participants engaged in the in-person aspect of the program, and also learned how to administer the training to others.

Pharmacogenomics is a relatively new field that combines pharmacology and genomics to ensure that medications are used in a safe and effective manner based on a person’s genetic makeup. The Test2Learn ™ program is designed to ensure that pharmacists have the skills at the ground level to ensure that the right patient is getting the right medicine, but also at the right dose based on the patient’s genetic makeup.

While pharmacogenomics is not mainstream yet, NACDS Director of Pharmacy Affairs Jason Ausili, Pharm.D., said, “There is currently a culture shift towards personalizing medicine, and we’re working in parallel with that shift by offering community pharmacy an education program to advance patient outcomes.

Test2Learn™ teaches the principles of pharmacogenomics as well as its practical implications in disease states such as cardiology, oncology, neurology and infectious diseases, among others. It trains pharmacists to decipher genetic tests, translate that information, and make appropriate recommendations for the patient, including clinical decision making, interpretation of patient results, and counseling and collaboration with prescribers to help optimize patient medication regimens.

Based on the success of the inaugural program, additional tour dates and locations will be announced later this fall.

NACDS Foundation Launches Accessible Tuberculosis Treatment and Prevention Study in New Mexico Early detection and accessible treatment key factors in tuberculosis prevention

admin2016-09-29T11:51:14-04:00Categories: Press Release|Tags: NACDS_Foundation|

Arlington, Va. – The NACDS Foundation today announced the launch of its newest research initiative, Improving Access Project: Tuberculosis Testing and Latent Tuberculosis Infection Treatment in Community Pharmacies. The Foundation study, led by principle investigators at the University of New Mexico, is designed to evaluate the impact of expanding access to community testing for latent tuberculosis infections (LTBI). The study coincides with a recent recommendation from the United States Preventative Task Force advising that asymptomatic adults at higher risk for LTBI should be screened in primary care settings.

“This study exemplifies key goals of the NACDS Foundation because it seeks to evaluate the impact of enhanced patient access of TB testing on patient outcomes, by engaging healthcare partners to extend the fantastic work of the state health department.”

Tuberculosis (TB) testing and LTBI treatment are important public health services and have been the cornerstone of TB prevention in the United States. The goal of this collaborative project is two-fold: (1) to survey patients and understand their healthcare experience and perception of receiving TB testing in the community setting, and (2) to evaluate improved patient health outcomes and access to care when TB testing and LTBI treatment are provided in the community pharmacy setting. The study will explore models to increase patient access to tuberculosis skin tests and immediate follow-up treatment as an effort to limit transmission.

“This study exemplifies key goals of the NACDS Foundation because it seeks to evaluate the impact of enhanced patient access of TB testing on patient outcomes, by engaging healthcare partners to extend the fantastic work of the state health department,” said NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger.

The University of New Mexico has confirmed the participation of seven community pharmacies and will begin rolling out services in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, N.M., as part of the study. Patients who seek care in participating sites will be counseled by trained pharmacists on risk factors and prevention and those with positive test results will enter directly observed therapy immediately after being referred to the New Mexico Department of Health Tuberculosis Program. A 12-week medication regimen and education plan will be provided for patients at no cost—patients will be able to choose [ READ MORE ]

NACDS Vice Chairman Alex Gourlay Visits NACDS Offices

admin2016-09-23T09:57:07-04:00Categories: Photo|Tags: Pharmacy_Value, Provider_Status|

Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance & President of Walgreen Co. Alex Gourlay, NACDS vice chairman, paid a visit to NACDS offices and talked with the staff as part of a trip to Washington this week.

This week, as part of as part of a trip to Washington, D.C., Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance & President of Walgreen Co. Alex Gourlay, NACDS vice chairman, visited the NACDS offices and spoke with staff.

Gourlay, who is a pharmacist, provided perspective as a chain member about the importance of the work NACDS does. Gourlay said NACDS is well positioned to respond to a rapidly changing world and noted that the need for healthcare will grow and, along with it, pharmacy will as well. He pointed out that pharmacists are so well trained, especially in the United States, but they are not fully utilized and so the advocacy work NACDS does to expand pharmacists’ scope of practice is so important.

Gourlay also praised the effectiveness of NACDS meetings and recounted the first time he attended an NACDS Annual Meeting. He said, “It blew my mind to see so many people in one place with a real passion for the industry.” He emphasized that NACDS’ job is to reiterate “the value that pharmacy brings to the patient and the value NACDS brings to its members.”

Be an Educated #PharmacyVoter: Don’t Miss the 2016 Presidential Debates!

admin2016-09-23T09:54:31-04:00Categories: Article|Tags: RxIMPACT|

As Election Day fast approaches, a series of upcoming presidential debates will offer an excellent opportunity to gain pivotal insights into the presidential candidates as they face off against one another.

The topics of the first debate, scheduled for Monday, September 26, were announced this week and they include America’s direction, achieving prosperity and securing America. The announcement noted that topics could change due to news developments.

There will be three presidential debates held over the next four weeks leading up to Election Day on November 8, as well as one vice presidential debate. Each debate will be broadcast live on C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC, as well as all cable news channels including CNN, Fox News and MSNBC, among others. The debates will air from 9 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. ET (8 p.m.—9:30 p.m. CT, 7 p.m.—8:30 p.m. MT, 6 p.m.—7:30 p.m. PT).

First presidential debate: Monday, Sept. 26, 2016, at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y.
Moderator: Lester Holt, anchor, “NBC Nightly News”

Vice presidential debate: Tuesday,Oct. 4, 2016, at Longwood University in Farmville, Va.
Moderator: Elaine Quijano, anchor, CBSN, and CBS News correspondent

Second presidential debate: Sunday, Oct. 9, 2016, at Washington University in St. Louis, Ill.
Moderators: Martha Raddatz, chief global affairs correspondent and co-anchor of ABC’s “This Week,”, and
Anderson Cooper, anchor, CNN

Third presidential debate: Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016, at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Nev.
Moderator: Chris Wallace, anchor, “Fox News Sunday”

Through the #PharmacyVoter effort, NACDS is urging the people of pharmacy to demonstrate their political engagement by learning more about the candidates and volunteering and voting for the candidates of their choice at all levels of government.

NACDS’ Anderson Accepts 2016 Trade Association CEO of the Year Award

admin2016-09-23T02:51:35-04:00Categories: Article|Tags: NACDS|

NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, at right, accepted CEO Update magazine’s 2016 Trade Association CEO of the Year award.
On Thursday, September 22, in Washington, D.C., NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE, at right, accepted CEO Update magazine’s 2016 Trade Association CEO of the Year award. Edison Electric Institute President Thomas R. Kuhn—who won the honor last year—made the presentation. Anderson is only the third CEO to receive this honor. More information is available in the press release that was issued in February, following CEO Update’s official announcement and in anticipation of this week’s ceremony.

Late-Night TV’s Seth Meyers to Keynote 2016 NACDS Foundation Dinner Emmy Award-winning Late Night with Seth Meyers host brings humor and perspective to current events; known for philanthropic engagement in healthcare

admin2016-09-21T22:41:06-04:00Categories: Press Release|Tags: NACDS_Foundation|

Arlington, Va. –Emmy-award-winning writer and Saturday Night Live alumnus Seth Meyers will headline the National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS) Foundation Dinner, which will be held on December 1, 2016, in New York City. The sharp-witted and engaging comedian currently hosts Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC. The New York Timesrecently referred to Meyers as the “smartest talk show host” of his generation.

We look forward to welcoming someone with such a strong reputation for giving back, as Seth Meyers does through his engagement and support for Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, among others.

In its 18th year, the NACDS Foundation Dinner and contributions from the Foundation’s benefactors help support evidence-based research that advances patient care, pharmacy education, student scholarships, and charitable organizations that improve patient outcomes.

The Foundation has continued to advance its mission this year through several vital initiatives, including a collaborative response to the Zika virus public health emergency with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the CDC Foundation, the March of Dimes and other stakeholders to raise awareness about the Zika virus and protect at-risk populations in Puerto Rico and the U.S.

The Foundation is also partnering with more than 100 pharmacies on an innovative Point-of-Care Testing program to chart the health benefits of community-based services for a variety of common ailments and infections. In addition, as public health authorities raise awareness about HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) testing and Hepatitis C awareness as a way to prevent liver damage and liver cancer, a study funded by the Foundation is evaluating a model which would improve patient care by increasing access to important HIV and Hepatitis C testing. Demonstrating its ongoing commitment to supporting pharmacy education, the Foundation also provided $230,000 in scholarships and grants through its 2016 NACDS Foundation Scholarship Program.

“As the Foundation comes together during the NACDS Foundation Dinner to celebrate accomplishments and renew commitments to advancing patient care, we look forward to the unique perspective Seth Meyers will bring – in what has certainly been a year filled with turbulent political and world events,” said NACDS Foundation President Kathleen Jaeger. “In addition, we look forward to welcoming [ READ MORE ]

NACDS Joins CDC, NFID on Flu Vaccine Social Media Campaign

admin2016-09-16T22:30:42-04:00Categories: Article|Tags: CDC|

NACDS is joining the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) to promote the importance of everyone in the U.S. six months and older getting the flu vaccine. The campaign will use the hashtag #FightFlu to raise awareness on social media channels.

Visit the CDC’s #FightFlu website to join the campaign. For more information about flu and flu vaccination, please visit the CDC’s website.

Members of NACDS’ Leadership Attend International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers, Inc., Meeting in London

admin2016-09-16T22:22:01-04:00Categories: Photo|Tags: Pharmacy_Value|

Members of NACDS’ leadership attended an International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers, Inc., General Membership Meeting this week in London. The meeting is a gathering of the industry’s thought leaders, which strengthens relationships with other stakeholders and builds overall confidence in the healthcare delivery system. Participants are pictured during a panel on Pharmacy as a Point of Care. (left to right: Co-Chief Operating Officer of Walgreens Boots Alliance & President of Walgreen Co. and NACDS Vice Chairman Alex Gourlay, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of CVS Health Tom Moriarty, CEO of Sinopharm Kingdoms Pharmacy Chain Co., LTD Yulin Wei and NACDS President & CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE.

Health Affairs Features NACDS-Backed Research on Medicare Part D MTM

admin2016-09-15T18:35:05-04:00Categories: Article|Tags: CMS, MTM|

An article in the distinguished peer-reviewed health journal Health Affairs last week reported on an NACDS-supported study that found patients’ enrollment in Medicare Part D medication therapy management (MTM) programs varies according to the program’s eligibility criteria.

NACDS is always looking for ways to work with CMS to improve patient care and reduce overall all costs.

The study showed that enrollment rates in MTM programs among stand-alone prescription drug programs and Medicare Advantage drug plans averaged only 10 percent. In addition, enrollment variation across plans—from less than 0.2 percent to more than 57 percent—showed a direct correlation to the restrictiveness of the plans’ eligibility criteria. NACDS CEO Issue Update spoke with one of the authors of the study, NACDS Senior Economist Laura Miller, on the findings.

Q: The study shows plan sponsors have a great deal of latitude in setting eligibility requirements for MTM services under Medicare Part D. How does that latitude affect beneficiaries?

A: Plan sponsors can make eligibility restrictive or expansive—those with more restrictive criteria have fewer eligible and fewer beneficiaries getting MTM

Q: The study found that most Medicare Part D sponsors have chosen to provide MTM services to narrow segments of their enrollment pools. Why?

A: At least for prescription drug plans (PDPs), MTM services are a cost but neither PDP plans or Medicare Advantage plans are directly reimbursed by Medicare for the costs of providing MTM. Because financial incentives are not aligned with potential benefits of the services, plans are more inclined to restrict MTM services.

Q: How can CMS’s new Part D Enhanced Medication Therapy Management model improve the MTM program?

A: If CMS is able to align financial incentives for plan sponsors, they will use MTM any time it improves patient outcomes or reduces overall costs.

Q: Why is improving MTM benefits essential for patients, especially on a broader scale?

A: MTM has the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce medical expenditures. The most common MTM service, an annual medication review, is particularly useful for patients taking multiple medications—to make sure they are not taking duplicative drugs, or drugs that interact with each other. Another important result of the annual medication review is to identify which, if any, [ READ MORE ]

NACDS RxIMPACT Funds Successful Get-Out-the-Vote Event

admin2016-09-09T21:08:56-04:00Categories: Photo|Tags: RxIMPACT|

NACDS RxIMPACT Votes is actively engaged in motivating and educating the pharmacy community on the importance of getting out the vote.

The presidential election on November 8 is right around the corner, but it’s not too late to get friends and colleagues engaged and ready to vote.

NACDS RxIMPACT Votes is actively engaged in motivating and educating the pharmacy community on the importance of getting out the vote. With funding from the program, Steve Ferris, Discount Drug Mart, Inc.’s government and public affairs director, arranged another successful get-out-the-vote event during a twice yearly pharmacists meeting, which is a mix of continuing education, best practices and vendor sessions. Ferris said the event was “super.”

There were more than 225 pharmacists and members of Discount Drug Mart, Inc.’s corporate team in attendance over the two-day meeting.

Ferris used the newly-created NACDS RxIMPACT Votes flyer as a handout in packets for the event, and the event’s speaker emphasized the importance of NACDS RxIMPACT Votes—and, especially, showing up at the polls. Ferris plans to follow up with an email blast to 1,000 of Discount Drug Mart, Inc.’s employees who are related to their pharmacy operations and all their corporate office employees with a link to PharmacyVoter.org. The NACDS RxIMPACT Votes resource site features #PharmacyVoter campaign ads “Momentum” and “Effective,” which encourage pharmacy personnel to volunteer and vote for candidates of their choice. Ferris will also send an email blast closer to the election with information on polling locations.

These NACDS RxIMPACT Votes resources are accessible and ready to be shared. Election Day is almost here and voter turnout, especially after such a contentious campaign, is more important than ever.

National Association of Chain Drug StoresPharmacies. The face of neighborhood healthcare.

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