Pharmacy experience with facsimile prescriptions.

The purpose of this mixed qualitative/quantitative study was to review the impact of a policy to accept facsimile (fax) prescriptions as standard operating procedure. Between February and April 2009 the pharmacy processed 4,792 new prescriptions of which 363 (7.6%) were received through fax. Of the fax prescriptions, 19 (5.2%) concerned clarification of information, which took approximately 30 minutes to resolve. The fax prescription process allowed the pharmacy to adjust the distribution of its workload, provided quicker service for new prescriptions, and allowed more time for medication consultation that resulted in a high level of customer satisfaction. It appeared the policy allowing fax prescriptions was a "win-win" situation for both the pharmacy and its customers. Military pharmacies should consider running trials of accepting fax prescriptions to see whether it improves their prescription filling process.

U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps pharmacists: making a difference in advancing the nation's health.

OBJECTIVE: To describe how U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) pharmacists serving in jobs that are normal for them, but considerably different than those found in the private sector, are making a difference in advancing the nation's health. SUMMARY: Pharmacists who serve in the Commissioned Corps of PHS fill roles that are considerably different than their counterparts in the private sector. Their work takes them out from behind the counter and into the world. Pharmacy officers advance the health and safety of the nation by their involvement in the delivery of direct patient care to medically underserved people, national security, drug vigilance, research, and policy-making endeavors. PHS pharmacists fill essential public health leadership and service roles throughout the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and certain non-HHS federal agencies and programs. The Health Resources and Services Administration, National Institutes of Health, Federal Bureau of Prisons, Indian Health Service, Food and Drug Administration, and U.S. Coast Guard are among the many federal agencies in which pharmacy officers are assigned. CONCLUSION: In each setting, PHS pharmacists find traditional roles augmented with assignments and challenges that broaden the scope of their practice.

Evaluation of an over-the-counter medication program.

Nonprescription medication (i.e., "over-the-counter") programs have historically been popular at many military treatment facilities. These programs were developed to provide a mechanism through which active duty members could obtain certain nonprescription medications without seeing a health care provider. The goal of such programs was to reduce demand on health care provider appointments and operational costs associated with such visits. Coast Guard military treatment facilities are encouraged to provide the service. The purpose of this paper was to evaluate whether the nonprescription medication program offered at the Coast Guard Alameda pharmacy reduced demand on health care provider appointments for self-limiting conditions and reduced costs associated with such visits.

Implementing a pharmacy patient education center.

Ambulatory care federal pharmacists may be readily used by beneficiaries to obtain verbal and written pharmaceutical and/or medical information because of their high visibility and accessibility. In addition to information provided for prescription medications, pharmacists may provide medication and disease information through a patient education center. A patient education center may contain written information in the form of pamphlets, booklets, or tear-off sheets, static displays such as posters, or interactive devices such as computers. The purpose of this study is to describe implementation of a patient education center consisting of written information and static displays at a Coast Guard pharmacy. The processes described in this study may be emulated by other health care professionals in a variety of settings.

SMOKED: a pharmacist-monitored tobacco cessation program.

Tobacco users use an array of pharmaceutical aids in their quest to become tobacco free. Tobacco cessation aids are indicated to assist individuals to become tobacco free when used in conjunction with a behavior modification program. For many persons, attending traditional group behavioral modification classes of 1- to 2-hour weekly meetings for 4 to 6 weeks is either undesirable or impractical. This article describes a nontraditional tobacco cessation program offered by a pharmacist at a Coast Guard military treatment facility. The program required persons desiring tobacco cessation aids to see a medical provider who then referred the individual to the pharmacy officer for counseling. Of the 20 persons completing all designated counseling sessions with the pharmacy officer, 4 were tobacco free after 1 year.