Practice Tips

What’s behind the low vaccine rate among teens?
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Parents may be up to speed on what vaccines their children need for kindergarten, but may be less sure during high school years, a new national poll suggests.

More than a third of parents of teens didn't know when their child's next vaccine was due and half of parents incorrectly assumed that their doctor would initiate an appointment when the time came, according to a report from the C.S. Mott Children's Hospital National Poll on Children's Health at the University of Michigan released on Monday.
FDA grants full approval to Amgen’s Blincyto
SILVER SPRING, Md. — Patients with a certain type of acute lymphoblastic leukemia have a new treatment option. The Food and Drug Administration has granted Amgen’s Blincyto (blinatumomab) full approval for the treatment of Philadelphia Chromosome-positive relaped or refractory B-cell precursor ALL.

Walmart gets specialty pharmacy accreditation from URAC

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — Walmart on Thursday announced that it had received specialty pharmacy accreditation from URAC. The distinction means the company has met the accreditor’s standards for demonstrated quality care, improved processes and positive patient outcomes, Walmart said.
OutcomesMTM builds patient relationships, improves Star Measures

Medication therapy management (MTM) is a tool that more pharmacies are incorporating into their practices as a way to both strategically boost engagement with the local provider community and strengthen ties with patients, while at the same time improving adherence, lowering overall health costs and driving more revenue into the pharmacy.
Benzer begins offering collaborative practice agreements

TAMPA, Fla. — Benzer Pharmacy on Wednesday announced that it would be partnering with physicians to provide additional clinical services under collaborative practice agreements. Among the services Benzer can provide under such agreements is chronic care management, transitional care management and intensive behavior therapy for weight management counseling, among others, Benzer said.
First-time attendees look forward to all that McKesson ideaShare offers

McKesson ideaShare is on pace for record attendance this year with customer attendees representing nearly 1,900 independent pharmacies across the United States. Connecting customers with industry experts and peers, McKesson ideaShare will feature more than 124 networking sessions, seminars and workshops, and 30 continuing education sessions. The conference is designed to provide attendees with tangible, information and best practices that are easy to take home and implement in their own stores to improve their performance and profitability.
McKesson ideaShare 2017 aligns programming with attendees’ interests

Visiting New Orleans wasn’t the biggest driver of attendance for those registered for McKesson ideaShare 2017 — McKesson knows because it asked. In an effort to better align this year’s program and educational offerings with what its customers’ need, McKesson asked those planning to attend the conference about the biggest draws. Outstripping several days in the Big Easy was the opportunity to learn how to grow their businesses.
New Little Clinic partnership to bring patients non-opioid pain solutions

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Kroger’s The Little Clinic on Tuesday announced a partnership that will bring options to certain patients who want live pain-free without prescription opioid medications. The collaboration with Results Physiotherapy will see clinics in Tennessee, Kentucky and Southern Indiana offering patients free consulations and recommendations, which may include physical therapy.
Op-ed: Community pharmacists are foot soldiers in the war on opioid abuse

It seems not a day goes by lately that the opioid abuse crisis is not front and center in national headlines. More and more lives are being lost to overdoses, and prescription drug abuse is devastating families and communities leading to violence, crime, and strained resources.

State governments have implemented a variety of tactics and tools to combat the problem, from strengthening prescription drug monitoring programs to mandating limits on prescribing or executing drug take-back programs. But policy solutions can only go so far in addressing the problem.
Bartell Drugs, Kaiser Permanente open 13th CareClinic

SEATTLE — Another CareClinic by Kaiser Permanente has opened at Bartell Drugs, the health system announced Thursday. The clinic, which is now open to Gig Harbor and Key Peninsula residents, marks the 13th clinic that Bartell Drugs and Kaiser Permanente operate.