Chain Pharmacy

With no cure for seasonal allergic rhinitis available, sufferers seeking symptomatic relief will welcome the following OTC options.

Wide-scale pill-splitting as a cost-containing measure is practiced by such large healthcare systems as the West Coast VA, Kaiser, and United Healthcare. The practice may serve the bottom line. But does it serve the patients?

As part of an overall federal strategy on the prescription drug epidemic, FDA announced in late April that it will require a Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy for all long-acting and extended-release opioids.

A 2-year study found that a pharmacy-directed anticoagulation service boosted the quality and efficiency of care for heparin-induced thrombocytopenia in patients using direct thrombin inhibitors.

As long as pharmacists work in such understaffed conditions, the repeated promise of more time spent with the patient will never be a reality.

Rite Aid's promise to fill prescriptions in 15 minutes or less is attracting consumer reaction. Professional reaction is less supportive.

Readers speak out about the 15-minute Rx, antibiotic stewardship, and MTM.

With the expansion of pharmacist roles come the burdens of managing the existing obligations embedded in professional pharmacy practice. Technicians, when appropriately trained and certified, can help fulfill many delegated functions in the pharmacy.

FDA recently called for the addition of new Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy requirements for medications. This article examines some resulting challenges and potential solutions.

Soon after taking the reins at NCPA, Douglas Hoey, RPh, MBA, spoke with Drug Topics' Contributing Editor Christine Blank about his short-term and long-term objectives for NCPA.

Companies get their professional staff to do what they want by instilling fear. The result is thousands of pharmacists who are afraid, all of them, of one thing or another.

CMS has eased rules on short-cycle dispensing of Part D medications in long-term-care facilities and is now requiring not 7-day but 14-day fills. The workload, however, may still double or triple.

A survey of new Rx, new generic, and new OTC products

Depression is a disease like any other. The pharmacist's task is to keep depression patients educated about their disease and their medications, and to stress the importance of adherence to medication. But before that, depression screening may be Job 1.

During a recent webinar presented by Pharmacy OneSource, Michael R. McDaniel, RPh, MBA, FASHP, showed how use of data can help identify appropriate cost-containment measures and justify necessary staffing.

Jenelle Sobotka, PharmD, FAPhA, 2011-2012 president-elect of the American Pharmacists Association, started out at the U.S. Veterans Administration, where she helped improve patient health through medication management.

Prophylactic acid suppression is not appropriate for most hospital patients who are not being treated in intensive care, according to researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, in Boston.

We do not usually think of courage as a part of a pharmacist's ethical duties, but it is, and it is one that is sometimes the most difficult to practice.

This overview of some recently available OTC products marks the first time our Self Care page has focused on testing kits and accessories.

CMS is considering new regulations that would require Medicare Part D prescription drug plans to contract directly with long-term-care facilities rather than with consultant pharmacists. This doesn't sit well with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists.

In March the National Association of Chain Drug Stores relaunched its advertising campaign to promote new MTM legislation and pharmacists ' role in medication therapy management.

Many third-party payers have either switched to or are considering moving to a mail-order requirement for long-term prescriptions that would prevent patients from choosing to purchase medications through retail pharmacies. Pharmacists and patients are pushing back.

Readers speak out about the increasing efficiency demands of chain pharmacies.

A DNA paternity test kit is available in New York retail pharmacies for the first time.

Using social media to promote their businesses can give independent pharmacy owners the competitive edge.