Impacts of prescription drug monitoring program policy changes and county opioid safety coalitions on prescribing and overdose outcomes in California, 2015-2018.

In 2015, California received funding to implement the Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Initiative, a 4-year program to reduce deaths involving prescription opioids by 1) leveraging improvements to California's prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) (i.e., mandatory PDMP registration for prescribers and pharmacists), and 2) supporting county opioid safety coalitions. We used statewide data from 2011 to 2018 to evaluate the Initiative's impact on opioid prescribing and overdose rates. Prescribing data were obtained from California's PDMP; fatal and non-fatal overdose data were obtained from the California Department of Public Health. Outcomes were monthly opioid prescribing rates and opioid overdose rates, modeled using generalized linear mixed models. Exposures were mandatory PDMP registration, presence of county coalitions, and Initiative support for county coalitions. Mandatory PDMP registration was associated with a 25% decrease (95%CI, 0.71-0.79) in opioid prescribing rates after 24 months. Having a county coalition was associated with a 2% decrease (95%CI, 0.96-0.99) in the opioid prescribing rate; receiving Initiative support was associated with an additional 2% decrease (95%CI, 0.97-0.98). Mandatory PDMP registration and county coalitions were associated with a 35% decrease (95%CI, 0.43-0.97) and a 21% decrease (95% CI, 0.70-0.90), respectively in prescription opioid overdose deaths. Both interventions were also associated with significantly fewer deaths involving any opioid but had no significant association with non-fatal overdose rates. Findings add to the knowledge available to guide policy to prevent high-risk prescribing and opioid overdoses. While further study is needed, coalitions and mandatory PDMP registration may be important components in such efforts.

Outcomes of a randomized trial evaluating two approaches for promoting pharmacy-based referrals to the tobacco quitline.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the long-term impact of 2 promising intervention approaches to engage pharmacy personnel (pharmacists, technicians) in referring patients who want to quit smoking to the tobacco quitline. DESIGN: Randomized trial. SETTING: Community pharmacies in Connecticut (n = 32) and Washington (n = 32). INTERVENTION: Two intervention approaches were evaluated: academic detailing (AD), which involved on-site training for pharmacy staff about the quitline, versus mailed quitline materials (MM). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in the overall percentage of quitline registrants who reported hearing about the quitline from any pharmacy during the 6-month baseline monitoring period versus the 12-month intervention period, and between-group comparisons of a) the number of quitline registrants who reported hearing about the quitline from one of the study pharmacies during the 12-month intervention period, and b) the number of quitline cards and brochures distributed to patients during the first 6 months of the intervention period. RESULTS: The percentage of quitline callers who reported having heard about the quitline from a pharmacy increased significantly, from 2.2% during the baseline monitoring period to 3.8% during the 12-month intervention (P < 0.0001). In addition, comparisons controlled for seasonal effects also revealed significant increases in referrals. Across all 64 pharmacies, 10,013 quitline cards and 4755 brochures were distributed. The number of quitline cards distributed and the number registrants who reported hearing about the quitline from a pharmacy did not differ by intervention approach (AD vs. MM), although AD pharmacies distributed more quitline brochures (P = 0.022). CONCLUSION: Brief cessation interventions are feasible in community pharmacies, and the 2 approaches evaluated for engaging pharmacy personnel were similarly effective and collectively led to meaningful increases in the number and proportion of all patients who called the quitline. Involvement of community pharmacy personnel in tobacco cessation presents a significant opportunity to promote quitline services by connecting patients with an effective publicly available resource.

Tobacco education in US physician assistant programs.

BACKGROUND: Few health degree programs incorporate sufficient tobacco cessation education in core curricula. METHODS: A national survey of 132 PA programs assessed the extent to which tobacco is addressed, educational methods, perceived importance and adequacy of tobacco education, and perceived barriers to enhancing tobacco-related content. RESULTS: Surveys (n = 99; 75%) revealed a median of 150 minutes of tobacco education throughout the degree program. Key barriers to enhancing training are lack of curriculum time and lack of access to comprehensive, evidence-based resources. Two-thirds expressed interest in participating in a nationwide effort to enhance tobacco cessation training. CONCLUSIONS: Similar to other disciplines, enhanced tobacco education is needed in PA programs to adequately prepare graduates to address the primary known cause of preventable death in the United States.

A Large Mitral Valve Vegetation Not Visualized on Transthoracic Echocardiography: A Case Report.

BACKGROUND Immediate evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a patient with infective endocarditis, an infection of the endocardium and/or integral structures found within the heart, is essential to patient survival. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 41-year-old man who was brought to the Emergency Department for altered mental status and fever. He was found to have methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) bacteremia complicated with severe respiratory failure and metabolic encephalopathy, necessitating intubation and mechanical ventilation. As part of the workup for persistent Staphylococcal bacteremia, 2 transthoracic echocardiograms (TTE) failed to reveal any valvular abnormalities. However, a transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) detected a 30×30 mm large vegetation on the anterior mitral valve leaflet. Due to the overall size and risk of systemic embolization, and the fact that the patient developed new-onset heart failure, the mitral valve was replaced using an open approach. The patient tolerated the procedure well and was discharged after an extended period of hospitalization. CONCLUSIONS Although the literature emphasizes that the sensitivity of TTE significantly increases when the vegetation size is above 1 cm, it is of utmost importance for clinicians to keep in mind that this is not always true, and clinicians should consider performing a TEE to rule out infective endocarditis whenever a TTE is unable to detect any vegetation in a patient with persistent Staphylococcal bacteremia. This is clearly demonstrated by the present case, in which two TTEs failed to detect a 30×30 mm vegetation.

A randomized trial evaluating 2 approaches for promoting pharmacy-based referrals to the tobacco quitline: methods and baseline findings.

BACKGROUND: Despite the fact that individuals who smoke are at an increased risk for disease and therefore require frequent visits to pharmacies for medications, most community pharmacies do not integrate tobacco cessation activities into routine practice. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this report is to describe the methods and baseline findings for a 2-state randomized trial evaluating 2 intervention approaches for increasing pharmacy-based referrals to their state's tobacco quitline. METHODS: Participating community pharmacies in Connecticut (n=32) and Washington (n=32) were randomized to receive either (1) on-site education with an academic detailer, describing methods for implementing brief interventions with patients and providing referrals to the tobacco quitline or (2) quitline materials delivered by mail. Both interventions advocated for pharmacy personnel to ask about tobacco use, advise patients who smoke to quit, and refer patients to the tobacco quitline for additional assistance with quitting. Study outcome measures include the number of quitline registrants who are referred by pharmacies (before and during the intervention period), the number of quitline materials distributed to patients, and self-reported behavior of cessation counseling and quitline referrals, assessed using written surveys completed by pharmacy personnel (pharmacists, technicians). RESULTS: Pharmacists (n=124) and pharmacy technicians (n=127), representing 64 participating pharmacies with equal numbers of retail chain and independently owned pharmacies, participated in the study. Most pharmacists (67%) and half of pharmacy technicians (50%) indicated that they were not at all familiar with the tobacco quitline. During the baseline (preintervention) monitoring period, the quitline registered 120 patients (18 in Connecticut and 102 in Washington) who reported that they heard about the quitline from a pharmacy. CONCLUSION: Novel tobacco intervention approaches are needed to capitalize on the community pharmacy's frequent interface with tobacco users, and these approaches need to be evaluated to estimate their effectiveness. Widespread implementation of brief, yet feasible, pharmacy-based tobacco cessation efforts that generate referrals to a tobacco quitline could have a substantial impact on the prevalence of tobacco use.

Recruitment of community pharmacies in a randomized trial to generate patient referrals to the tobacco quitline.

BACKGROUND: Community pharmacies have the potential to reduce the prevalence of tobacco use, yet most pharmacies do not integrate cessation activities into routine practice. OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to describe the recruitment strategy and participant yield for a 2-state, randomized trial evaluating 2 intervention approaches for increasing pharmacy-based referrals to tobacco quitlines. METHODS: Detailed study recruitment tracking forms were used to document all contact attempts between the study investigators and each potential study site. These data were analyzed to characterize the overall recruitment and consent process for community pharmacies and pharmacy personnel (pharmacists, technicians). RESULTS: Achieving the target sample size of 64 study sites required contacting a total of 150 pharmacies (84 independent and 66 chain). Excluding 22 ineligible pharmacies, participation rates were 49% (32 of 65) for independent pharmacies and 51% (32 of 63) for chain pharmacies (50% overall). Across the 64 participating pharmacies, a total of 124 pharmacists (of 171; 73%) and 127 pharmacy technicians (of 215; 59%) were enrolled in the study. Pharmacies that chose not to participate most often cited time constraints as the primary reason. Overall, combining both the recruitment and consent process, a median of 5 contacts were made with each participating pharmacy (range, 2-19; interquartile range [IQR], 4-7), and the median overall duration of time elapsed from initial contact to consent was 25 days (range, 3-122 days; IQR, 12-47 days). CONCLUSIONS: Results from this study suggest that community pharmacy personnel are receptive to participation in multisite, tobacco cessation clinical research trials. However, execution of a representative sampling and recruitment scheme for a multistate study in this practice setting is a time- and labor-intensive process.

Evaluation of a train-the-trainer program for tobacco cessation.

OBJECTIVES: To assess pharmacy faculty members' perceptions of the Rx for Change tobacco cessation program materials and train-the-trainer program. METHODS: Pharmacy faculty members attended a 14.5 hour train-the-trainer program conducted over 3 days. Posttraining survey instruments assessed participants' (n = 188) characteristics and factors hypothesized to be associated with program adoption. RESULTS: Prior to the training, 49.5% of the faculty members had received no formal training for treating tobacco use and dependence, and 46.3% had never taught students how to treat tobacco use and dependence. Participants' self-rated abilities to teach tobacco cessation increased posttraining (p < 0.001). The curriculum materials were viewed as either moderately (43.9%) or highly (54.0%) compatible for integration into existing curricula, and 68.3% reported they were "highly likely" to implement the program in the upcoming year. CONCLUSIONS: Participation in a national train-the-trainer program significantly increased faculty members' perceived ability to teach tobacco-related content to pharmacy students, and the majority of participants indicated a high likelihood of adopting the Rx for Change program at their school. The train-the-trainer model appears to be a viable and promising strategy for promoting adoption of curricular innovations on a national scale.

Pharmacy students' perceptions of tobacco sales in pharmacies and suggested strategies for promoting tobacco-free experiential sites.

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of this report were to estimate the extent to which pharmacy student perceptions are aligned with the 2003 resolution of the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) addressing the use of experiential sites that sell cigarettes and other tobacco products. METHODS: Pharmacy students participating in a national tobacco cessation training program completed posttraining survey instruments and indicated their opinion about tobacco sales in pharmacies. Responses were examined with respect to students' sex and tobacco use status. RESULTS: Of 3,064 students, 3.5% were in favor of tobacco sales in pharmacies. Opinions varied by students' sex (p < 0.001) and tobacco use status (p < 0.001); in logistic regression analyses, males (OR = 2.62; 95% CI, 1.77, 3.89) and current tobacco users (OR = 2.31; 95% CI, 1.41, 3.76) were most likely to be in favor of tobacco sales. CONCLUSION: Few pharmacy students are in favor of tobacco sales in pharmacies. Given the overall lack of support, and acting in accordance with the 2003 AACP resolution, pharmacy schools are encouraged to use only experiential sites that do not sell tobacco products. Suggested strategies for moving toward this goal are presented.

Tobacco education in U.S. schools of pharmacy.

This study is the first to characterize tobacco-related content in pharmacy school curricula in the United States. A national survey mailed to 83 U.S. schools of pharmacy assessed the extent to which tobacco is addressed in required coursework, educational methods of instruction, perceived importance of addressing tobacco in the doctor of pharmacy degree program, perceived adequacy of current levels of tobacco education in curricula, and perceived barriers to enhancing the tobacco-related content. A total of 82 surveys (98.8% response) revealed a median of 170 min of tobacco education throughout the doctor of pharmacy program. The most heavily emphasized topics are aids for cessation, assisting patients with quitting, nicotine pharmacology and principles of addiction, and drug interactions with smoking, yet more than 40% of respondents believed that each of these topics was covered inadequately. Key barriers to enhancing tobacco training are lack of curriculum time and lack of clinical clerkship sites focusing on tobacco interventions. Pharmacy faculty members perceive tobacco cessation training to be important, yet a mismatch exists between the perceived importance and the perceived adequacy of current levels of training in pharmacy school curricula. The results of this study will serve as a baseline measure against which future, parallel assessments will be compared as faculty at schools of pharmacy across the United States work together toward enhancing the tobacco cessation training of student pharmacists.

Statewide evaluation of a tobacco cessation curriculum for pharmacy students.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that healthcare professionals are inadequately trained to treat tobacco use and dependence. Because even brief interventions from clinicians improve patient quit rates, widespread implementation of effective tobacco cessation training programs for health professional students is needed. METHODS: Pharmacy students received 7-8 h of comprehensive tobacco cessation training. Participants completed pre- and post-program surveys assessing perceived overall abilities for cessation counseling, skills for key facets of cessation counseling (Ask, Advise, Assess, Assist, Arrange), and self-efficacy for counseling. RESULTS: A total of 493 students (82.3%) completed linkable pre- and post-training evaluations. Self-reported abilities, measured on a five-point scale, increased significantly from 1.89 +/- 0.89 to 3.53 +/- 0.72 (P < 0.001). Twenty-two percent of students rated their overall counseling abilities as good, very good, or excellent before the training versus 94% of students after the training. Eighty-seven percent of students indicated the training will increase the number of patients that they counsel; 97% believed it will increase the quality of their cessation counseling. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensive training significantly improved pharmacy students' perceived confidence and ability to provide tobacco cessation counseling. The curriculum is applicable to other health professional training programs and currently is being used to train pharmacy, medical, nursing, and dental students.

Development and implementation of a tobacco cessation training program for students in the health professions.

BACKGROUND: A comprehensive tobacco cessation training program, Rx for Change, was developed and implemented as required coursework at all California schools of pharmacy and at the University of California San Francisco Schools of Medicine and Dentistry. RESULTS: Post-training evaluations administered to pharmacy students (n = 544; 89% participation) show a positive impact of the training on students' self-reported abilities for providing tobacco cessation counseling to patients. CONCLUSION: Designed as a vehicle for nationwide dissemination of the U.S. Public Health Service Clinical Practice Guideline for Treating Tobacco Use and Dependence, Rx for Change equips students with skills to intervene with all tobacco users, including patients who are not yet considering quitting.