Clinical Pharmacist with DEA License: Efforts to Increase Access to Buprenorphine in a Veteran Population.

BACKGROUND: Opioid overdoses continue to rise in the United States. In 2021, a record 80,411 reported overdoses occurred in the US alone, nearly double that in 2017. Buprenorphine's pharmacology is ideal for management of patients with opioid use disorder (OUD) with or without chronic pain. Within the VA, clinical pharmacist practitioners (CPP) are uniquely equipped to operate with significant scope of practice to prescribe medications including controlled substances, an opportunity to vastly increase access to care for veterans suffering from OUD, complex opioid dependency or pain. PURPOSE/HYPOTHESIS: The purpose of this case series is to describe how DEA licensed pain CPP safely and effectively manages 1) Suboxone home inductions to increase access for OUD 2) rotations from traditional full mu opioids to chronic pain buprenorphine products and 3) off label use of Suboxone for pain. Procedures/data/observations: Cases were collected in usual workload for clinical pharmacist. High rate of tolerability and efficacy noted with buprenorphine across all products. CONCLUSIONS/APPLICATIONS: DEA licensed Pain CPPs can make an immediate positive impact for veterans with OUD and/or complex pain and may be more comfortable with buprenorphine than many other providers.

Development of a quick guide for assessment of the most frequently used renal risk medication in Danish hospitals and primary care.

Due to changes in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, patients with impaired renal function suffer an increased risk of suboptimal and potentially harmful medication treatment. This necessitates careful consideration of medications affected by impaired renal function when performing medication reviews. The aim of this study was to develop a quick guide (a list of recommendations) for assessing renal risk medications in medication reviews led by hospital pharmacists. The list was based on the 100 most frequently used medications in Danish hospitals and primary care. After combining the 200 records, 29 duplicates were excluded resulting in a pool of 171 medications. Assessment by two clinical pharmacists led to the exclusion of 121 medications. Of the remaining 50 medications, seven were discussed among the two pharmacists, and two of these were also in the research group to reach a consensus. The renal risk quick guide comprised 50 medications. The most prevalent medications on the list were from Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical Classification System (ATC)-group N, C and L. Recommendations from two databases were included in the quick guide in order to provide clinical pharmacists with existing, updated evidence on medication use in impaired renal function. The next step is to test the feasibility of the quick guide in daily practice when performing medication reviews.

Reprint of: Impact of a pharmacist-led weight management service in a cardiology clinic.

BACKGROUND: Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) for weight management require frequent dose titration, patient education, and insurance coverage navigation, which pharmacists are well equipped to manage. Data are lacking regarding the benefit of a pharmacist-managed service using GLP-1 RAs for weight loss in a high-risk cardiac population. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of a pharmacist-led weight loss service within a cardiology clinic using GLP-1 RAs and lifestyle counseling in patients with overweight and obesity. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: An outpatient cardiology clinic employs clinical pharmacists who use collaborative practice agreements to provide cardiovascular risk reduction services that did not include weight management at baseline. PRACTICE INNOVATION: This is the first description of a pharmacist-led weight management clinic using solely GLP-1 RAs in a cardiology practice. Patients were referred to the clinical pharmacist, who initiated and titrated GLP-1 RA and provided lifestyle counseling. EVALUATION METHODS: This was a single-center, prospective, pre-post analysis of adults with a body mass index of at least 30 kg/m2 or 27 kg/m2 with a weight-related comorbidity, with a preceding failed dietary effort and insurance coverage for semaglutide (Wegovy, Novo Nordisk) or liraglutide (Saxenda, Novo Nordisk) and managed by a pharmacist. The primary outcome was patients achieving ≥ 5% weight loss at 6 months, assessed via descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Between March 2022 and March 2023, 204 patients were referred by their cardiologist, and 59 patients started treatment with semaglutide (Wegovy, Novo Nordisk) or liraglutide (Saxenda, Novo Nordisk). A total of 31 patients completed 6 months of treatment at time of study completion, and all achieved ≥ 5% weight loss at 6 months, with a mean weight loss of 12.6%. Glycated hemoglobin improved by 0.6%, low-density lipoprotein by 18 mg/dL, triglycerides by 29 mg/dL, systolic blood pressure by 9 mm Hg, and diastolic blood pressure by 2 mm Hg. CONCLUSION: Pharmacist-led management of GLP-1 RA in patients with obesity or overweight led to clinically meaningful weight loss and improvements in weight-related comorbidities.

Reprint of: Survey of Georgia community pharmacists' needs to engage in advanced community pharmacy services.

BACKGROUND: Community pharmacists improve health, reduce fragmentation in care, lower health costs, and improve health outcomes. In Georgia, pharmacists are able to enter collaborative drug therapy management protocols, such as hypertension management, with a collaborating physician, which may allow pharmacists to provide advanced community pharmacy services (ACPS), however few Georgia pharmacists have this licensure. No program(s) exist that empower pharmacists to successfully engage in ACPS across the state of Georgia nor trains pharmacists to successfully engage in collaborative practice. OBJECTIVE: The goal of this project was to explore community pharmacists' perception, confidence, and engagement in ACPS and how this can improve access to care in Georgia. METHODS: Six hundred one independent community pharmacists were sent an electronic survey May 13, 2022, with weekly email reminders through June 17, 2022. Results were analyzed with the independent sample t test. Thematic analysis was completed on open response survey questions. RESULTS: Ninety responses were received (15% response rate). In the majority of survey outcomes, no differences were found in needs for success between rural versus urban pharmacists. Pharmacies with a smaller technician-to-pharmacists ≤2 (staffing) ratios identified billing for services as a higher priority need for success for them to confidently engage in ACPS (P = 0.012) while pharmacies with a higher technician-to-pharmacists >2 (staffing) ratio agreed a larger need was in optimization of current workflow to allow for advanced community pharmacy service incorporation (P = 0.034). All community pharmacists agreed they would require expansion in staffing and the qualities desired for additional hires to support ACPS include ambition, proficiency, and communication skills. CONCLUSION: Numerous needs for success exist for community pharmacists to feel comfortable and confident to engage in ACPS. Addressing these needs may increase community pharmacist impact through increasing utilization of these services.

Reprint of: Pharmacist-driven deprescribing initiative in primary care.

BACKGROUND: Polypharmacy, a broad term to describe the use of numerous and often unnecessary medications, has been connected to frailty, hospital admissions, falls, and even mortality. The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) developed the VIONE (vital, important, optional, not indicated, and every medication has an indication) dashboard to identify patients with polypharmacy and serve as a framework for deprescribing of medications across VHA facilities where it is used in a variety of practice settings by different disciplines. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the implementation of a pharmacist-led, system-wide, deprescribing initiative in the primary care setting. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Interdisciplinary education was provided through academic detailing. Subsequently, patients were identified for inclusion in the project using the VIONE dashboard focusing on those at highest risk of polypharmacy and moving down to the lowest risk. Interested patients underwent a medication reconciliation. A clinical pharmacist practitioner (CPP) then contacted the patient to discuss potential deprescribing options. Recommendations were relayed to the primary care provider (PCP) for final approval and communicated to the patient by the pharmacy team. PRACTICE INNOVATION: Primary care CPPs (n = 3) integrated deprescribing into their standard workload. This service was implemented in the primary care setting across an entire health care system consisting of 16 different primary care teams. EVALUATION METHODS: The initiative's impact was measured by the number of discontinued medications, the acceptance rate of recommendations by the PCP, the potential annualized cost avoidance, and the number of patients referred to CPP medication management clinics. RESULTS: Among 63 patients, a total of 352 medications were deprescribed resulting in a potential annualized cost avoidance of $184,221. The acceptance rate of discontinuation recommendations was 96.7%. Subsequently, 25.4% of patients were referred to pharmacist-led clinics for disease state management. CONCLUSION: Embedding deprescribing into standard CPP workflow within the primary care setting facilitated a way for polypharmacy reduction and allowed the expansion of pharmacy-led services at VA Butler Healthcare System.

Reprint of: The impact of SyncPlus on workflow in an independent pharmacy.

BACKGROUND: Medication Synchronization (Med Sync) is a medication management strategy that aligns two or more medications to be refilled on the same date. Med Sync may improve several patient outcomes when implemented in a community pharmacy. SyncPlus is a Med Sync service developed at Crosby's Drugs. Objectives for assessment of SyncPlus included evaluation of changes to delivery volume, number of delivered prescriptions, and number of medication therapy management interventions before and after SyncPlus implementation. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Crosby's Drugs is an independent pharmacy in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The pharmacy offers several services to a largely Medicare-insured population. PRACTICE INNOVATION: SyncPlus patients must fill all prescription medications at Crosby's Drugs and take at least 5 chronic medications, excluding controlled substances and gabapentin. To enroll, patients verbally agree to review their profile with a technician. Patients complete a clinical consult with a pharmacist to address medication-related problems. Through shared decision-making, the patient and pharmacist determine an anchor drug and next fill date. Medications are short-filled as insurance coverage allows. Pharmacists and interns address medication-related problems and contact prescriber offices for refills and clarifications. Documentation and billing are conducted via the Outcomes platform. EVALUATION METHODS: A 3-month retrospective chart review was performed before and after SyncPlus implementation. Internal pharmacy data and Outcomes data provided reports to address objectives. RESULTS: In the three months after SyncPlus implementation, 10 patients were enrolled over three months. The sum of total deliveries dropped from 4478 to 3974. The number of prescriptions delivered were similar before and after SyncPlus implementation. During the 3 months post-implementation 89 Outcomes interventions were completed compared with 18 interventions in the three months prior. CONCLUSIONS: A medication synchronization program in an independent pharmacy may improve workflow efficiency by reducing deliveries and increasing opportunities for medication management for patients.

Reprint of: Impact of a pharmacist-driven COPD clinic on outcomes related to COPD in a federally qualified health center.

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects many patients across the United States. Morbidity related to COPD can lead to increased financial strain to health care system. The United States is also shifting toward value-based payments, which rely on satisfying quality measures. Pharmacists are equipped with knowledge in adjusting medications based on symptom burden and guideline recommendations in COPD and are equipped with the proper knowledge to address quality measures. OBJECTIVE: This project aimed to determine the impact of a clinical pharmacy service centered around inhaler education and optimization on COPD morbidity and Uniform Data System (UDS) quality measure satisfaction in a federally qualified health center. METHODS: This quality improvement project consisted of patient referrals by and reports from a population health software for the pharmacy service from November 2022 to March 2023. The outcomes in this study included symptom change measured by follow-up modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale in addition to changes in compliance with UDS quality measures. At follow-up, patients were administered another mMRC to evaluate treatment effect and determine quality measure satisfaction. RESULTS: Thirteen patient visits were conducted. Most patients were female (84.6%) with an exacerbation in the previous year (46.1%). All patients received an adjustment in their pharmacotherapy along with inhaler education. The average baseline mMRC score decreased from 2.1 to 0.6, indicating a decrease in overall COPD symptoms. Five quality measures of 13 were satisfied during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: The COPD clinical pharmacy service led to an increase in guideline-driven pharmacotherapy regimens for patients with COPD while having an overall decrease in morbidity. Quality measures were also addressed and satisfied after the appointment. Continuation of this quality improvement service will ensure proper assessment of COPD along with addressing UDS quality measures.

Reprint of: Impact of outpatient pharmacist dispensing in an opioid use disorder clinic.

BACKGROUND: Medications for opioid use disorder are effective in reducing opioid deaths, but access can be an issue. Relocating an outpatient pharmacist for weekly buprenorphine dispensing in an outpatient clinic may facilitate coverage for buprenorphine and mitigate access and counseling barriers. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to evaluate whether staffing an outpatient resident pharmacist to dispense in the buprenorphine clinic had a positive impact on (1) mean cost per prescription charged to charity care and (2) basic elements of patient satisfaction with the on-site pharmacist. METHODS: Patient demographics, buprenorphine formulation, insurance type, and uncovered costs were abstracted from dispensing records in the 16 weeks before the pharmacist clinic presence and 16 weeks with the pharmacist present. The difference in insurance types across the 2 periods was tested using a chi-square test, and the mean uncovered prescription costs charged to charity care for the 2 periods was compared using an independent-samples t test. A brief survey was administered while the pharmacist was on-site to evaluate satisfaction, which was analyzed with frequencies of "yes" responses and free-text comments. RESULTS: A total of 38 patients received buprenorphine during both the pre- and postperiods. Once the pharmacist was on-site, more patients used Medicaid or private insurance, decreasing the mean uncovered cost per prescription from $55.00 (SD 68.7) to $36.97 (SD 60.1) (P = 0.002). Patients reported high levels of satisfaction with most reporting they were more likely to ask questions, pick up their prescriptions, and take their medicine with the pharmacist in the clinic. CONCLUSIONS: The pharmacist successfully transitioned a portion of prescriptions previously covered by charity care to Medicaid or private insurance. This shift led to a decrease in charity care costs by $2950.20 and a reduction in the average uncovered cost per prescription. The pharmacist's presence in the clinic seemed to reduce barriers especially related to inconvenience.

Identifying the key determinants of a community pharmacy based bladder and bowel service.

OBJECTIVES: Community pharmacies and their personnel present an opportunity to implement new services for bladder and bowel continence care. Underpinned by the COM-B model of capability (C), opportunity (O), motivation (M), Behaviour (B)), this study explored the opinions of healthcare staff and users of community pharmacy services, to inform the development of a new pharmacy bladder and bowel service (PBBS). METHODS: A qualitative design was adopted by conducting in-depth semi-structured interviews with pharmacy staff, users of community pharmacy services, bladder and bowel service staff, and professionals involved with commissioning services. A thematic analysis was used, and resulting themes were mapped onto the components of the COM-B model. RESULTS: A total of 27 participants were interviewed that represented the four groups of participants. A pro-active, protocolised PBBS was envisaged, involving targeted advice and provision of self-help materials, medication support, and referral/follow-up assessment as appropriate. Training programs for pharmacy staff, adequate funding/remuneration and information technology, awareness campaigns, policy support and guidance were identified as key behavioural targets for the success of a potential PBBS. Workforce time and capacity, service user embarrassment and stigma were potential barriers. CONCLUSIONS: The study identified a range of elements to be considered in the design and implementation of a successful PBBS. Informed by the evidence presented by this study, a multi-faceted approach to co-design the service will be required to ensure it is fit for purpose for all healthcare public and policy stakeholders.

Best practice in dementia health care: Key clinical practice pointers from a national conference and innovative opportunities for pharmacy practice.

OBJECTIVE: Sub-optimal care of people living with dementia has serious consequences for older populations. The 2021 Australian Royal Commission noted that a large proportion of older adults in aged care live with dementia, yet there are limitations in the knowledge and understanding of staff who care for them. In the pursuit of educating pharmacists, physicians, allied health care professionals, researchers, academics, people living with dementia and their carers, and the public, who are facing the challenges of dementia management, the 'Best Practice in Dementia Health Care' conference was held on November 10, 2022 at Western Health (Sunshine Hospital, Melbourne, Australia). METHODS: Sixteen experts presented on the current practice and challenges associated with delivering best practice dementia health care to older Australians, often highlighting how medication-related challenges impacted on their area of practice. RESULTS: Presenters highlighted the importance of individualised medication management plans, considerations of culture and Indigenous communities, the role of technology, and the impact of exercise and the physical environment on care of people living with dementia. Key clinical practice messages from each expert presenter fit into four main topics: 'navigating complexities of medication management'; 'enhancing wellbeing'; 'supportive settings and environments'; and 'programs and services improving care'. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacists are crucial members of allied health care teams. They have the necessary medication and comorbidity expertise to review medication regimens, liaise with all health care providers, and provide holistic, pharmacological and non-pharmacological patient education. Towards providing best practice dementia health care, pharmacists can contribute in several ways, such as providing health practitioner education to increase understanding about medications and how they can impact on allied health practice, to ensure that medications are prescribed appropriately and safely. Further, pharmacists can make available resources to ensure people living with dementia receive culturally safe and appropriate care, while advocating for greater understanding of the history and experiences of people living with dementia to ensure care aligns with their day-to-day routines. Finally, pharmacists can provide peer-support to other health care professionals and care staff to ensure optimal management of behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia. The information and insights shared at the conference can serve as a valuable resource for pharmacists and other health care professionals and researchers working to improve the lives of those living with dementia.

Impact of pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care on health-related and pharmaceutical therapy-related quality of life in patients with heart failure: A randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Data on the impact of pharmacist-led pharmaceutical care (PC) on pharmaceutical therapy-related and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and their sensitivities to PC provision in patients with heart failure (HF) are scarce. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the impact of pharmacist-led PC on HRQoL employing the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and 5-level EuroQol 5 dimension (EQ-5D-5L) and on pharmaceutical therapy-related quality of life using the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measure of Pharmaceutical Therapy (PROMPT) in HF patients and compare sensitivities to the PC provision of these three tools. METHODS: A single-blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted at a tertiary public hospital in Thailand between November 2022 and May 2023. Overall, 250 patients were randomly divided into the usual care (UC) (N = 124) and PC (N = 126) groups. Mixed effects models were used to investigate the differences in the mean change scores of PROMPT, EQ-5D-5L, and MLHFQ between the UC and PC groups. The sensitivities to PC provision of the three measures were evaluated using standardized effect sizes (SESs). RESULTS: Significant differences were found in five of eight domains and the total score of the PROMPT between the PC and UC groups (all p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found in the EQ-5D-5L and MLHFQ between the two groups (both p > 0.05). The SESs of the five domains and total score of PROMPT ranged from 0.29 to 1.65, considered small-to-large effect sizes, whereas the SESs of EQ-5D-5L and MLHFQ were -0.4 to 0, considered small effect sizes. CONCLUSIONS: Pharmacist-led PC can positively affect pharmaceutical therapy-related quality of life using PROMPT in HF patients. Additionally, PROMPT is more sensitive to PC provision than EQ-5D-5L and MLHFQ.

Effectiveness of pharmacist-led antimicrobial stewardship programs in perioperative settings: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to characterize and evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacist-led AMS interventions in improving antimicrobial use and subsequent surgical site infections (SSI) in perioperative settings. METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted by searching PubMed, Embase and CINAHL. Two independent reviewers extracted the data using the Descriptive Elements of Pharmacist Intervention Characterization Tool and undertook quality assessment using the Crowe Critical Appraisal. A meta-analysis was conducted using a random-effect model. RESULTS: Eleven studies were included in this review. Pharmacists were found to have various roles in AMS, including educational sessions, ward rounds, audits and feedback, and guidelines development. The discussion of interventions lacked details on the development. A meta-analysis revealed that pharmacist-led AMS programs in perioperative settings was associated with a significant improvement in antibiotic selection (OR 4.29; 95 % CI 2.52-7.30), administration time (OR 4.93; 95 % CI 2.05-11.84), duration (OR 5.27; 95 % CI 1.58-17.55), and SSI (OR 0.51; 95 % CI 0.34-0.77). CONCLUSION: Pharmacist-led AMS programs were effective in improving antimicrobial prescribing while reducing SSI; however most studies were of moderate quality. Studies lacked the utilization of theory to develop interventions, therefore, it is not clear whether theory-derived interventions are more effective than those without a theoretical element. High-quality, multicomponent, theory-derived, interventional studies using appropriate methodology and standardized data collection, are needed.

Cost avoidance of pharmacist-led deprescribing using STOPPFrail for older adults in nursing homes.

BACKGROUND: The Screening Tool of Older Persons Prescriptions in Frail adults with limited life expectancy (STOPPFrail) criteria aim to reduce inappropriate/unnecessary medications in frail older adults, which should minimise adverse drug events and additional healthcare expenditure. Little is known about the economic outcomes of applying these criteria as an intervention. AIM: To evaluate cost avoidance of pharmacist-led application of STOPPFrail to frail older nursing home residents with limited life expectancy. METHOD: Pharmacist-identified STOPPFrail-defined potentially inappropriate medications that were deprescribed by patients' general practitioners were assigned a rating by a multidisciplinary panel, i.e. the probability of an adverse drug event occurring if the medication was not deprescribed. The intervention's net cost benefit and cost-benefit ratio were then determined by factoring in adverse drug event cost avoidance (calculated from probability of adverse drug event ratings), direct cost savings (deprescribed medication costs/reimbursement fees), and healthcare professionals' salaries. RESULTS: Of the 176 potentially inappropriate medications deprescribed across 69 patients, 65 (36.9%) were rated as having a medium or high probability of an adverse drug event occurring if not deprescribed. With €27,162 for direct cost savings, €61,336 for adverse drug event cost avoidance, and €2,589 for healthcare professionals' salary costs, there was a net cost benefit of €85,909 overall. The cost-benefit ratio was 33.2 and remained positive in all scenarios in sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION: Pharmacist-led application of STOPPFrail to frail older nursing home residents is associated with significant cost avoidance. Wider implementation of pharmacist interventions in frail older nursing home residents should be considered to reduce potentially inappropriate medications and patient harm, alongside substantial cost savings for healthcare systems.

Exploring the impact of a digital health tool on patients' interaction with community pharmacists: A pilot randomized controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The use of digital Patient- Reported Outcomes (PRO) tools has been shown to enhance the exchange of information and shared decision-making in medical encounters. However, their influence on patient-pharmacist interactions has not yet been explored. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the impact of RxTalk™, a digital PRO tool, in supporting the communication between patients and pharmacists compared to usual care. METHODS: Intervention: RxTalk™ was developed to collect information about medication adherence and beliefs, using a tablet computer. STUDY DESIGN: A pilot randomized controlled study was conducted at a community pharmacy in Wisconsin, USA. Sixty patients were randomized to either the intervention group who used RxTalk™ during medication pick-up or the control group who did not use the tool. Patients who used RxTalk™ received paper copies of their responses which were also shared with pharmacists. The consultation was audio-recorded for both groups and coded using the Active Patient Participation Coding scale. Follow-up phone interviews were conducted with both groups within one week of enrollment. RESULTS: Patient tapes were analyzed. In the unadjusted model, patients in the intervention group had a higher active participation rate (p = 0.004) and raised significantly more concerns during consultations (p < 0.001) compared to the control group. Pharmacists asked twice as many questions while counseling patients in the intervention group compared to the control group (p < 0.001). After controlling for patients' demographics and pharmacists' questions, there was a statistical difference between the two patient groups in their odds of expressing at least one concern utterance. CONCLUSION: This pilot study suggests that collecting PRO from patients with chronic illnesses and providing results to pharmacists and patients can help patients express their health and medication concerns. RxTalk™ would be useful for pharmacists who wish to improve the recognition and management of medication-related problems.

A theoretical explanation of naloxone provision among primary care physicians and community pharmacists in Tennessee.

BACKGROUND: Increasing access to naloxone reduces opioid-related morbidity and mortality. Primary care and community pharmacy settings are critical access points, yet limited theoretical research has examined naloxone prescribing and dispensing behaviors. OBJECTIVES: To determine if the theory of planned behavior (TPB) combined with theoretical constructs from communication science explains intentions to co-prescribe and discuss co-dispensing naloxone among primary care physicians and community pharmacists, respectively. METHODS: This cross-sectional study surveyed cohorts of licensed primary care physicians and community pharmacists in Tennessee in 2017. Intentions were measured using profession-specific case vignettes, whereby they were asked given 10 similar patients, how many times (0-10) would they co-prescribe or discuss co-dispensing naloxone. Bivariate and multivariable analyses were used. RESULTS: The analytic sample included 295 physicians (response rate = 15.6 %) and 423 pharmacists (response rate = 19.4 %). Approximately 65 % of physicians reported never intending to co-prescribe naloxone (0 out of 10 patients), while 47 % of pharmacists reported never intending to discuss co-dispensing. All TPB constructs-attitudes (AOR = 1.32, CI = 1.16-1.50), subjective norms (AOR = 1.17, CI = 1.06-1.30), and perceived behavioral control (AOR 1.16, CI = 1.02-1.33)-were associated with an increased likelihood of pharmacists always (versus never) discussing co-dispensing. Similarly, two TPB constructs-attitudes (AOR = 1.41, CI = 1.19-1.68) and subjective norms (AOR = 1.22, CI = 1.08-1.39)-were associated with an increased likelihood of physicians always co-prescribing. Among physicians only, one communication construct-self-perceived communication competence (AOR = 1.19, CI = 1.01-1.41)-was associated with an increased likelihood of always co-prescribing. CONCLUSION: Findings support the value of theory, particularly TPB, in explaining primary care physician intentions to co-prescribe and community pharmacist intentions to discuss co-dispensing naloxone.

Optimizing medication guidance support for patients with cancer pain: development and evaluation of a pharmaceutical care system for healthcare professionals.

BACKGROUND: Effective management of cancer pain critically depends on timely medication administration and adherence to precise medication guidelines. In the context of limited time and a busy healthcare environment, tailoring the optimal medication schedule for each patient with cancer pain presents a significant challenge for physicians and clinical pharmacists. METHODS: To address this challenge, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of healthcare professionals' needs in guiding cancer pain medication. By developing core features based on key user needs and continuously updating them, we have created the Universal Medication Schedule System (UMSS). We invited 20 physicians and pharmacists specializing in oncology or cancer pain to trial the system and assessed UMSS usage through distributed questionnaires. RESULTS: We identified five key needs of healthcare professionals in cancer pain medication guidance. Based on these needs, we (1) constructed a comprehensive drug information database, including basic information for 1135 drugs, 130,590 drug interaction data entries, and 1409 individual medication timing constraints, and (2) developed a web-based system that provides essential reference information such as drug interactions and dietary restrictions. It can create medication schedules and provide medication education tailored to the patient's daily routine. Participating evaluators unanimously agreed (100%) that the system aids in accurately assessing the risks of polypharmacy and quickly scheduling medication regimens. CONCLUSION: UMSS, by offering personalized medication schedule support, assists healthcare professionals in better managing patients' medication treatment plans. However, further improvements are needed in the automation of database updates and maintenance, as well as in integrating it with electronic health records.