Adherence Packaging Q&A | Sebastian Hamilton, BSPharm, MBA, Pharm.D, RPh, Boston Medical Center
Compliance packaging may seem like a relatively new concept due to recent attention, but this form of packaging has been used for decades. From strip, to blister or “bingo” card packaging, to the more basic type seen in home daily planners patients purchase on their own, the concept is the same; to breakdown complex daily […]
Drug Diversion Q&A | John Burke, President, International Health Facility Diversion Association
Q. Do you think that the incidents of drug diversion within healthcare facilities have called off since the advent of the pandemic? Definitely not. Most healthcare facilities diverted personnel from the jobs of monitoring and detecting drug diversion in their facility to address the urgent needs of the COVID problem. This means that whatever was […]
Long Term Care Delivery / Back-up Pharmacy Services Q&A | Kevin R. Fearson, R.Ph, MBA, FASCP, President ASCP
Q. Does Absolute Pharmacy use a delivery service or backup services? Why? Absolute Pharmacy is open 24/7 so most stat deliveries are fulfilled in-house at our pharmacy. We do have an extensive network of retail, institution, and hospital pharmacies that are used as needed to fulfill orders that are urgent, backordered drugs, and/ or unplanned events. Our private delivery service […]
Environmental Monitoring Q&A | Rosemary Kalenze, PharmD, Altru Health System
Q: What does environmental monitoring look like in your pharmacy settings? It looks different depending upon the setting but is important and required in each. In all settings we continuously monitor the temperature of the ambient spaces, refrigerators, and freezers. We also monitor humidity of our storage and medication preparation areas. Q: How does environmental […]
Drug Distributors & Wholesalers Q&A | Nicholas Shanos, RPh, Owner of Suburban Pharmacy, Inc. and Melissa, Pharm D Candidate 2021
Q: What are the advantages of using multiple wholesalers versus one primary vendor? Availability: When there’s a drug shortage or an interruption of drug supply we have the choice of more wholesalers to increase the odds of receiving the product. Price comparison: We gain the ability to have the choice to compare different drug prices […]
Pharmacy Compounding Resources Q&A | Shawn Hodges, PharmD, Innovation Compounding and APC
CSTD Products & Manufacturers Q&A | Robert Quintana, RPh, Director of Pharmacy
Q: As a director of pharmacy, what is your responsibility to your employees and/or patients in ensuring their safety? I am charged with ensuring the safe utilization of hazardous drugs throughout the organization. So the use of a CSTD at Cambell County Health was initiated in response to regulatory requirements and an increased need for safety […]
Multi-Dose Packaging Systems and Resources Q&A | Bretton Walberg, Walberg Family Pharmacies
Q: Why did Walberg Family Pharmacies start using medication packaging? When I graduated from pharmacy school, I knew there had to be a better way to help my patients adhere to their medication regimens. I started by filling my patient’s medications in pill organizers, but many patients required multiple organizers, which caused more problems and […]
Specialty Pharmacy Solutions (Technology & Software) Q&A | Sheila Arquette, NASP
Q. Specialty drugs remain the most expensive drugs on the market. What spending trends do you foresee for specialty pharmacy in the future? Since the 1990s, the number of specialty drugs available has increased exponentially and dominated new drug developments. Specialty product spending growth is outpacing traditional product growth and now has approximately a 47% […]
Cannabidiol (CBD) Resources & Products Q&A | Anthony J. Calamunci, Esq., FisherBroyles
Q. Is CBD a pain management alternative to opioids? CBD or cannabinoid itself is non-psychoactive. Preliminary research indicates CBD or cannabidiol could be a successful opioid alternative. Recent studies have shown that states with medical marijuana laws (THC and CBD) have twenty-five percent (25%) fewer opioid-related deaths than states that have not implemented laws. Studies […]
