Determining the association between grocery nutrition scores and number of medications taken for metabolic syndrome: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of disease states that increases an individual's risk of developing diabetes or cardiovascular disease. When treating metabolic syndrome, lifestyle and diet are primary areas for interventions. A dietician-led grocery nutrition system scoring patients' purchases may correlate to better control of metabolic health. OBJECTIVE: To compare the number of medications taken for metabolic syndrome for patients with grocery nutrition scores at goal versus those below goal as pre-defined by the dietician team. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: This exploratory, retrospective cohort pilot study took place in a single pharmacy within a large community pharmacy chain in Northwest Ohio. PRACTICE INNOVATION: This retrospective cohort study compared the number of medications taken for metabolic syndrome between two groups: patients with a grocery nutrition score at a dietician-set goal and patients not at goal. EVALUATION METHODS: Data were collected from May 2022 to March 2023, with patients completing a questionnaire collecting information on demographics. In addition, the questionnaire, grocery nutrition scores, and patient medication records were collected. Descriptive statistics were calculated for demographic items. A number of medications taken for metabolic syndrome by patients at dietician-set grocery nutrition score goal and not at goal were compared using a Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: A total of 40 patients were enrolled in this study. There was not a significant difference in a number of medications taken for metabolic syndrome between groups, with patients who had a grocery nutrition score at goal taking an average of 1.20 medications compared to 1.96 for those with grocery nutrition scores below goal. CONCLUSIONS: While no statistical difference in mean medication use was identified, grocery nutrition scores may help understand patients' dietary habits. Larger studies are required to test the relationship between grocery nutrition scores, patient-specific factors, and medications taken for metabolic syndrome.

Technology targeting immunocompromised patients for COVID-19 vaccine in community pharmacies.

BACKGROUND: Medication targeting by community pharmacists may assess medical history of patients for recommendation of clinical services through review of their prescription history. Previous studies have implemented medication targeting to identify patients eligible for vaccine recommendations. Targeting of immunosuppressing medications may impact the rate of third primary doses of COVID-19 vaccine administered to immunocompromised patients. OBJECTIVES: The primary objective was to determine the impact of medication targeting on the rate of third primary doses of COVID-19 vaccine given to immunocompromised patients. METHODS: This observational, retrospective cohort study occurred within one division of a large community pharmacy chain. Included patients were greater than 18 years of age with record of at least one immunosuppressing medication dispensed one year prior to study enrollment and 2 primary COVID-19 vaccine doses in the pharmacy dispensing software. An intervention for pharmacist recommendation of a third primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine was automatically loaded into their prescription profiles. The proportion of patients with completed interventions and confirmation of third dose administration was collected with demographic characteristics. RESULTS: The pharmacy dispensing software identified 1670 interventions through medication targeting, though 69 interventions met criteria for study inclusion. Baseline characteristics of the included population were a mean age of 51.8 years of primarily female sex (69.6%) and Caucasian race (78.3%). Third primary COVID-19 vaccine dose administration and completed pharmacist recommendation was recorded for 2 (2.9%) patients. CONCLUSION: Medication targeting identified immunocompromised patients for the recommendation of a third primary dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Improved specification for targeting of dosing regimen and route of administration may result in greater accuracy of appropriate recommendations identified.

Identifying Barriers That Prevent the Usage of Health Information Exchange in Ohio.

Background: As clinical services expand in community pharmacies, access to patient information through a health information exchange (HIE) may be of increased benefit to patient care. Objectives: To identify perceptions and barriers to the use of HIE by high-performing clinical pharmacists within a grocery store chain and collect other health care provider perceptions of using HIE. Methods: Two web-based surveys consisting of multiple choice, select all that apply, and 5-point Likert-type scale questions were administered via email to Ohio pharmacists working in high clinical performing pharmacies and Ohio health care providers utilizing CliniSync, an Ohio-based HIE program. Outcomes measured included pharmacist perceptions of preparedness to participate in HIE, their relationship with patients and health care providers, and barriers to utilizing HIE. Provider outcomes included perceptions of relationships with patients, awareness of community pharmacy services, referral habits, and perceived benefit of a HIE. Results: Pharmacists tend to believe they have the skill (median 5, interquartile range [IQR] 1) and desire (median 5, IQR 1) to be a part of the HIE network. Pharmacists appear confident in their abilities to provide patient care as a part of HIE networks (median 4, IQR 1). While 66% of providers surveyed are aware of services provided by community pharmacists, 75% state that they do not refer patients to a pharmacy for those services. Conclusion: Implementing HIE into clinical pharmacy workflow and encouraging providers to use it to make patient health information available to pharmacists would provide additional information for pharmacists to review when providing clinical services in the community pharmacy setting, ultimately benefiting patient care.

Perspectives of athletes and pharmacists on pharmacist-provided sports supplement counseling: An exploratory study.

OBJECTIVES: To identify athletes' interests in receiving advice about sports supplements from a pharmacist in a supermarket setting and to identify pharmacists' knowledge, confidence, and enthusiasm for providing counseling on various sports supplements. METHODS: Two cross-sectional surveys were developed and administered. One survey was administered to athletes at local northwestern Ohio fitness facilities, and 1 survey was administered to pharmacists in chain pharmacies during mid-February to mid-March 2017. The athlete survey gathered demographic information, information sources, products purchased, including their location and selection factors, and perceptions of pharmacists providing sports supplement counseling. The pharmacist survey gathered demographic information; knowledge, confidence, and enthusiasm for providing sports supplement counseling; perceptions of counseling benefit; and barriers to implementation of providing a sports supplement counseling service. RESULTS: The athlete survey had 129 participants. Athletes primarily reported obtaining sports supplement information from supplement stores, and only 2% indicated using a pharmacist. Although 52% said they would talk to a pharmacist about sports supplements, 66% said their perception of a pharmacist's fitness level would influence whether or not they would approach him or her. The pharmacist survey had 143 participants. On a 5-point Likert-type scale (1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree), the mean (SD) of their knowledge, confidence, and enthusiasm statements were 2.49 (0.89); 2.61 (0.94); and 3.54 (0.87), respectively. Ninety-two percent (n = 130) of pharmacists thought it would be beneficial to provide counseling on sports supplements. Perceived barriers included lack of knowledge, evidence, and time. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists were not identified as a primary resource for sports supplements, but athletes would be willing to discuss this topic with knowledgeable and physically fit pharmacists. Pharmacists felt that they lacked knowledge and confidence regarding sports supplement products but noted enthusiasm to provide counseling. Sports pharmacy counseling could be a viable expansion of pharmacy services in community pharmacies with proper education and tools.

Impact of a Transitions of Care Training Module on Community Pharmacists' Knowledge and Attitudes.

Background: Community pharmacists' accessibility to patient histories and personal patient relationships situates them to have a potentially significant impact on transitions of care. Recent literature has demonstrated that improved patient outcomes and an overall reduction in health care costs occur when pharmacists are involved in medication reconciliation during transitions of care. Objective: To develop a transitions of care training module for community pharmacists. To assess the training module's impact on pharmacists' transition of care knowledge and their attitude toward actively participating in the transitions of care for their patients. Methods: Community pharmacists practicing in a supermarket pharmacy chain participated in this study. A pretest and posttest were administered around a 30-minute transitions of care training module. The attitude assessment consisted of a 5-point Likert-type scale, while the knowledge-based assessment consisted of true/false and multiple-choice questions. SPSS version 21.0 was used to generate descriptive and nonparametric statistical analyses. The study was approved by the University of Toledo Social, Behavioral, and Educational Institutional Review Board. Results: Thirty-six pharmacists (72%) successfully completed the pre-post survey. The average pharmacist posttest knowledge survey score improved from the pretest score, 73% to 99%. A paired Student's t test demonstrated the posttest percentage of correct questions on the knowledge-based survey improved from the baseline knowledge. Pharmacists' average posttest attitudes regarding participation in patients' transitions of care statistically improved compared to their pretest attitudes. Conclusion: Community pharmacists' transitions of care knowledge and attitudes can be improved through a training module.