Pharmacist Roles in the Medication Use Process: Qualitative Analysis of Stakeholder Perceptions.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacist roles in the Medication Use Process (MUP) have advanced along with new healthcare delivery models and interprofessional collaborative practice. It is unclear whether stakeholder perceptions of pharmacist roles have evolved simultaneously. OBJECTIVES: Examine patient, pharmacist, and physician perceptions of pharmacist roles in the MUP. METHODS: This IRB-approved study used a cross-sectional design with Qualtrics panels of patients, pharmacists, and physicians. Role Theory was used as a framework to develop 12-item surveys to study pharmacist role perceptions in the MUP: prescribing, transcribing, dispensing, administration, and monitoring. Content analysis was performed on the responses to open-ended questions. RESULTS: From 1004 patients, a total of 7,217 comments were obtained on 9 questions (740-1004 comments), resulting in an average of 802 comments per question or 0.8 comments per question per respondent (CQR). Similarly, 1,620 comments from 205 pharmacists on 11 questions (121-205 comments) averaged 0.72 CQR; and 1,561 comments from 200 physicians on 11 questions (136-200 comments) equated to 0.74 CQR. Content analysis revealed recurring themes across the stakeholders: 'pharmacists', 'physicians', 'insurance', 'technology', 'collaboration', 'time', 'communication', and 'patient's responsibility'. Some role congruence was seen regarding pharmacist roles by all 3 stakeholders; noting pharmacist roles in improving all steps of the MUP, except transcribing. Pharmacists highlighted professional challenges such as staffing issues, burnout, and competing demands; which were not acknowledged by patients and physicians indicating the need to increase awareness. CONCLUSION: This study showed increased visibility and awareness of pharmacist roles in the MUP by all stakeholders, compared to previous research showing pharmacist roles limited to dispensing. Known barriers to pharmacy practice such as lack of provider status and reimbursement were not reported by any of the stakeholders in this study. There is a need to continuously inform stakeholders about pharmacists' expanding roles in the MUP through advocacy and marketing.

Pharmacist roles in the medication use process: Perceptions of patients, physicians, and pharmacists.

OBJECTIVES: It is uncertain whether stakeholder perceptions of pharmacist roles in the medication use process (MUP) have evolved alongside pharmacist advanced scope of practice. This study aimed to examine patient, pharmacist, and physician perceptions of pharmacist roles in the MUP. DESIGN: This IRB-approved study used a cross-sectional design with online panels of patients, pharmacists, and physicians. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A Qualtrics panel of 1,004 patients, 205 pharmacists, and 200 physicians completed the surveys between August-November 2021. OUTCOME MEASURES: Using role theory as framework, 12-item surveys were developed to examine perceptions regarding effectiveness of and best choice for improving each MUP step. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlations, and comparisons. RESULTS: Majority of the physician, pharmacist, and patient samples believed that physicians prescribe the best possible medications (93.5%, 83.4%, 89.0% respectively), prescriptions are filled accurately (59.0%, 61.4%, 92.6% respectively) and timely (86.0%, 68.8, 90.2% respectively). Majority of physicians (78.5%) opined prescriptions are generally error free and patients are monitored (71%); fewer pharmacists agreed (42.9%, 51%; p<0.05). Most patients (92.4%) reported taking medications as directed; only 60% professionals agreed (p<0.05). Physicians selected 'pharmacists' as top choice for reducing dispensing errors, providing counseling, and helping patients take medications as directed. Patients wanted pharmacists to help manage their medications (87.0%) and 'someone' to periodically check on their health (100%). All 3 groups agreed physician-pharmacist collaboration was important to improve patient care and outcomes (90.0%-97.1%); however, 24% of physicians were uninterested in collaboration. Both professionals reported lack of time, appropriate setup, and interprofessional communication as challenges to collaboration. CONCLUSION: Pharmacists believe their roles have evolved to align with expanded opportunities. Patients perceived pharmacists play comprehensive roles in medication management through counseling and monitoring. Physicians recognized pharmacist roles in dispensing and counseling, but not in prescribing or monitoring. Clarity in role expectations amongst these stakeholders is critical to optimizing pharmacist roles and patient outcomes.

Gamification to Improve Medication Adherence: A Mixed-method Usability Study for MedScrab.

Medication non-adherence is a prevalent healthcare problem with poor health outcomes and added healthcare costs. MedScrab, a gamification-based mHealth app, is the first attempt to deliver crucial life-saving medication information to patients and increase their medication adherence. The paper presents the development of MedScrab and a two-phase mixed-method usability evaluation of MedScrab. Phase I qualitatively evaluated MedScrab using a think-aloud protocol for its usability. With 51 participants, qualitative data analysis of Phase I revealed two themes: positive functionality of the app and four areas of improvement. The improvement recommendations were incorporated into MedScrab's design. Phase I also validated a widely used mHealth App Usability Questionnaire (MAUQ). Quantitative data analysis of Phase I reduced the original 18-item MAUQ scale to a 15-item scale with two factors: ease of use (4 items) and usefulness and satisfaction (11 items). Phase II surveyed 83 participants from Amazon's Mechanical Turk using a modified MAUQ. The modified MAUQ scale showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.959) and high factor loadings (between 0.623 and 0.987). The study design of the usability evaluation can serve as a methodological guide for designing, evaluating, and improving mHealth apps.The usability study showed that MedScrab was perceived as ease of use (6.24 out of 7) with high usefulness and satisfaction (5.72 out of 7). The quantitative data analysis results support the use of the modified MAUQ as a valid instrument to measure the usability of the MedScrab. However, the instrument should be used with adaptation based on the app's characteristics.

Comparison of the properties of the English and Spanish versions of the Patient Satisfaction with Pharmacist Services Questionnaire 2.0.

BACKGROUND: Pharmacists provide direct patient care services such as chronic disease management and medication therapy management services. Patient satisfaction measures are valuable tools to assess outcomes. Therefore, measuring patient satisfaction with pharmacist services, using tools such as the Patient Satisfaction with Pharmacist Services Questionnaire 2.0 (PSPSQ 2.0), is important to ensure service quality. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to evaluate the descriptive properties and reliability of the original English and newly translated Spanish versions of the PSPSQ 2.0 in a larger sample. METHODS: This project evaluated the functioning of the Spanish translation of the PSPSQ 2.0 compared to the English version. Demographic characteristics were analyzed to determine whether the instrument functioned differently for English- and Spanish-speaking groups. Psychometric properties were analyzed. RESULTS: Completed data for both PSPSQ 2.0 versions were available for 337 patients (English, n = 187; Spanish, n = 150) enrolled. In the English data set, no items had a ceiling or a floor effect, while in the Spanish data set, all items had a ceiling effect, but no items had a floor effect. In both the English and Spanish versions, nearly all the items had a strong, positive correlation with one another (greater than 0.30), indicating the measure was unidimensional. The pattern of the estimated loading indicated the items were assigned as expected. The items functioned differently in the English and Spanish instruments, and there was a statistically significant difference in Wald values between the 2 versions (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The PSPSQ 2.0 demonstrated reliability for this setting and population. However, regarding demonstration of validity, the response categories in the instrument seem not to capture the views of the Spanish-speaking respondents. Further work may focus on uncovering the preferences for use of Likert scale response categories by Spanish speakers to ensure greater cultural fidelity in the translation.

Putting words into action: A simple focused education improves prescription label comprehension and functional health literacy.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effectiveness of an educational intervention on prescription (Rx) label comprehension and functional health literacy (FHL) in older adults. Outcomes were compared between current and redesigned Rx labels. Additional objectives were to examine the correlation between 2 outcome measures and to determine the characterizing variables that are predictors for the outcome measures. SETTING: Southern California, January 2013 to March 2015. PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: Older adults (>55 y) taking 2 or more Rx medications daily were recruited at senior and community centers by a trained data collection team. PRACTICE INNOVATION: The validated Modified LaRue Tool (MLT) tested Rx label comprehension before and after a short, focused educational intervention and correlated it with FHL. INTERVENTIONS: A simple one-on-one education provided by student pharmacists that was focused on critical elements of an Rx label. EVALUATION: Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (STOFHLA) and MLT scores of all current and redesigned label participants at baseline and follow-up. RESULTS: Participants using redesigned Rx labels (n = 90) showed significantly higher MLT scores than with current Rx labels (n = 28) both before (23.0 ± 2.3 vs. 21.0 ± 2.4; P <0.001) and after educational intervention (23.8 ± 1.7 vs. 22.1 ± 3.1; P <0.001). With the use of analysis of covariance, intervention participants using redesigned label (n = 48) showed significant improvement in both MLT (23.1 ± 2.0 to 24.3 ± 1.0; P <0.001) and STOFHLA (29.8 ± 7.5 to 31.5 ± 5.7; P = 0.011) scores, whereas intervention participants using current Rx label (n = 16) did not show significant improvement in either MLT (P = 0.530) or STOFHLA (P = 0.215) scores. Effect size of intervention (redesigned label) was 0.77, indicating practical significance. MLT and STOFHLA scores were significantly correlated with each other, and age and education level were common significant predictors for both outcomes. CONCLUSION: Older adults using redesigned Rx labels showed improved Rx label comprehension and FHL after educational intervention, as well as higher comprehension compared with those using current Rx labels. Use of a redesigned Rx label and a simple educational intervention should be encouraged to improve Rx label comprehension and FHL.

Drivers of citations in social pharmacy and practice research articles.

BACKGROUND: Research in Social and Administrative Pharmacy has been expanding in the last decade. The recently published Granada Statements offer key recommendations to improve the quality of research in this field. OBJECTIVES: To identify the factors associated with the citations of articles in the field of social, administrative, clinical pharmacy and practice research. METHODS: This study was a retrospective, observational analysis of articles published in three leading journals. Per article Google Scholar citations was the dependent variable. Predictor variables were extracted from all articles published from 2013 to 2015. The dependent variable was dichotomized using sample's median Google Scholar citations. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify independent predictors of citations ≥ median. RESULTS: The median number of citations per article was 17 (range 0-341), with a mean of 24.2 (SD 27.6). The number of references included in the articles (OR 1.03, CI 1.02-1.04), the year of publication (OR 0.31 CI 0.21-0.46 for articles published 2015), article social media mentions (OR = 1.01, CI 1.01-1.03 and OR 1.10 CI 1.04-1.18 for Facebook and X, respectively), the topic area of research namely pharmacy services (OR 1.65, CI 1.06-2.57) and medication adherence (OR 2.22 CI 1.13-4.33) were independently associated with article having citations ≥ median. CONCLUSIONS: The number of references, the year of publication, social media mentions and the topic area of research, namely pharmacy services and medication adherence, were associated with citations above median in the leading journals of social and administrative pharmacy research. Authors may consider providing a thorough literature review in their articles, while researchers, editors, and publishers are advised to use social media to promote newly published work. This article complements the Granada Statements and may contribute to fostering wider dissemination of the discipline's outputs.

Examining General Vaccine Acceptance and COVID-19 Vaccine Intention: Comparison across Pharmacies in California and Ohio.

Given the complexities surrounding vaccine acceptance of COVID-19 and other vaccines, it is important to determine the underlying health beliefs of patients in order to bridge gaps and promote vaccine confidence. With pharmacies as key hubs for vaccinations and vaccine conversations, examining patient perspectives through the lens of community pharmacy may provide a targeted insight into their patient populations. The primary objectives of this study were to measure COVID-19 vaccine intention and compare vaccine acceptance at pharmacies and clinics between California and Ohio. The secondary objectives included subgroup comparisons of vaccine intention and vaccine acceptance based on demographic characteristics. A previously validated survey instrument (5C survey tool) was administered at pharmacy sites in California and Ohio to examine respondents' vaccine acceptance (confidence, complacency, constrains, calculation, and collective responsibility). Additional items were added to capture flu and COVID-19 vaccine intention. Reliability and confirmatory factor analysis were completed for the 13-item 5C. Comparisons were made between sites and within different demographic groups. Good reliability (Cronbach's alpha = 0.768) was found, with nearly all items loading on their hypothesized domains. Respondents from Ohio had significantly higher complacency and constraints domain scores. Highest acceptance was revealed in females, individuals with a Master's degree or higher, and individuals with the intention to receive a flu vaccine. The adapted 5C is a reasonable tool to measure vaccine intention in English-speaking populations in the US. Certain demographic groups may have lower vaccine acceptance; pharmacists could consider implementing a tool, such as the 5C tool, to identify low acceptance. Given that the 5C tool gathers information on different domains of vaccine acceptance, healthcare professionals could utilize these results to improve trust and vaccine confidence in their patient populations; focused conversations concerning any of the respective domains could best address individual concerns and barriers about vaccinations, notably the COVID-19 and flu vaccines.

The Report of the 2022-2023 AACP Professional Affairs Standing Committee: Focused Integration of Community-Based Pharmacy Practice Within the AACP Transformation Center.

The 2022-2023 Professional Affairs Committee was charged to (1) Devise a framework and 3-year workplan for the Academia-Community Pharmacy Transformation Pharmacy Collaborative to be integrated within the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) Transformation Center. This plan should include the focus area(s) to be continued and developed by the Center, potential milestone dates or events, and necessary resources; and (2) Provide recommendations on focus areas and/or potential questions for the Pharmacy Workforce Center to consider for the 2024 National Pharmacist Workforce Study. This report provides the background and methodology utilized to develop the framework and 3-year workplan focused on (1) community-based pharmacy pipeline development for recruitment, programming, and retention, (2) programming and resources for community-based pharmacy practice, and (3) research areas for community-based pharmacy practice. The Committee offers suggested revisions for 5 current AACP policy statements, 7 recommendations pertaining to the first charge, and 9 recommendations pertaining to the second charge.

AACP faculty affairs standing committee report of strategies for faculty self-advocacy and promotion.

OBJECTIVES: The 2020-2021 American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Faculty Affairs Standing Committee (FASC) was charged with identifying how faculty can self-advocate and promote themselves in a social influence context. FINDINGS: The FASC identified social influence and persuasion theories and strategies that can be used by faculty to initiate self-advocacy discussions and collaborations. Social influence and persuasion theories can provide a framework for research and scholarship or for beginning discussions regarding self-advocacy. SUMMARY: This FASC report describes the Committee charge, background information, and an overview of social influence theories and how these theories can be applied in academic pharmacy. The report concludes with a summary of issues for follow-up to the Committee's work.

Well-being Content Inclusion in Pharmacy Education Across the United States and Canada.

Objective. To describe the landscape of well-being content inclusion across schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States and Canada through identification of content implementation, incorporation, and assessment.Methods. A cross-sectional survey was distributed to all accredited schools and colleges of pharmacy in the United States (n=143) and Canada (n=10). Survey questions included curricular and cocurricular timing, frequency, assessment strategies, and support for well-being initiatives, using a framework of eight dimensions (pillars) of wellness to categorize content.Results. Descriptive data analyses were applied to 99 completed surveys (65%), 89 (62%) in the United States and 10 (100%) in Canada. Well-being content was most prevalent within the cocurricular realm and incorporated into didactic and elective more than experiential curricula. The most content came from intellectual, emotional, and physical pillars, and the least content came from financial, spiritual, and environmental pillars. Less than 50% of schools and colleges of pharmacy include well-being within their strategic plans or core values. Funding is primarily at the level of the university (59%) or the school or college of pharmacy (59%). Almost half of respondents reported inclusion of some assessment, with a need for more training, expertise, and standardization.Conclusion. Survey results revealed a wide range of implementation and assessment of well-being programs across the United States and Canada. These results provide a reference point for the state of well-being programs that can serve as a call to action and research across the Academy.

Artificial Intelligent Context-Aware Machine-Learning Tool to Detect Adverse Drug Events from Social Media Platforms.

INTRODUCTION: Pharmacovigilance (PV) has proven to detect post-marketing adverse drug events (ADE). Previous research used the natural language processing (NLP) tool to extract unstructured texts relevant to ADEs. However, texts without context reduce the efficiency of such algorithms. Our objective was to develop and validate an innovative NLP tool, aTarantula, using a context-aware machine-learning algorithm to detect existing ADEs from social media using an aggregated lexicon. METHOD: aTarantula utilized FastText embeddings and an aggregated lexicon to extract contextual data from three patient forums (i.e., MedHelp, MedsChat, and PatientInfo) taking warfarin. The lexicon used warfarin package inserts and synonyms of warfarin ADEs from UMLS and FAERS databases. Data was stored on SQLite and then refined and manually checked by three clinical pharmacists for validation. RESULTS: Multiple organ systems where the most frequent ADE were reported at 1.50%, followed by CNS side effects at 1.19%. Lymphatic system ADEs were the least common side effect reported at 0.09%. The overall Spearman rank correlation coefficient between patient-reported data from the forums and FAERS was 0.19. As determined by pharmacist validation, aTarantula had a sensitivity of 84.2% and a specificity of 98%. Three clinical pharmacists manually validated our results. Finally, we created an aggregated lexicon for mining ADEs from social media. CONCLUSION: We successfully developed aTarantula, a machine-learning algorithmn based on artificial intelligence to extract warfarin-related ADEs from online social discussion forums automatically. Our study shows that it is feasible to use aTarantula to detect ADEs. Future researchers can validate aTarantula on the diverse dataset.

Transitions of care at an ambulatory care clinic: An implementation science approach.

BACKGROUND: Transitions of care (TOC) issues contribute to approximately 76% of preventable hospital readmissions. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) focus on improvement of quality of care through TOC services. Studies have not used both implementation science and patient input to develop a TOC program that fulfills CMS criteria and satisfies patients' reported needs. OBJECTIVES: The study objectives were to I) develop the TOC program in alignment with CMS criteria, identifying and remedying barriers during the process, and II) conduct a needs assessment and obtain patient perspectives on TOC service. METHODS: The implementation science approach was chosen to refine the TOC service at one university medical center ambulatory care clinic. Barriers within the TOC program that prevented CMS criteria from being followed were identified on site during patient care. Changes were implemented in a timely manner by the pharmacy resident and TOC team. A prospective nine-item open-answer survey was administered to patients discharged less than 90 days from inpatient care. Data was collected, categorized, and presented to the TOC team for incorporation into the TOC service. RESULTS: Barriers and gaps in care were identified in the sample of 19 patients undergoing service from November 2019 to January 2020. CMS criteria and established TOC protocol had not been fulfilled for all patients. Eight barriers were revealed throughout the TOC process. Solutions were implemented through an in-service, monthly reminders, and communication to staff from the resident pharmacist. Patient responses (n = 22) to the needs assessment indicated a desire for enhanced TOC education (discharge medications and therapy). CONCLUSIONS: Through implementation science, the TOC program was adapted to fulfill CMS criteria and TOC protocol. The needs assessment highlighted desired changes by TOC patients. Long-term outcomes will need to be studied to determine if the implemented changes at this site are sustainable.

COVID-19 Vaccine Attitudes and Barriers among Unvaccinated Residents in Rural Northern/Central Illinois.

Background: Rural communities have lower COVID-19 vaccine uptake and poorer health outcomes compared to non-rural communities, including in rural, northern/central Illinois. Understanding community perceptions about vaccination is critical for developing targeted responses to improve vaccine uptake in rural communities and meet global vaccination targets. Purpose: This study examines COVID-19 vaccine attitudes and barriers as well as the impact of COVID-19 on specific health behaviors of residents in rural northern/central Illinois to inform efforts to increase vaccine uptake. Methods: In collaboration with community partners and local health departments, we conducted a 54-item, English-language, online questionnaire from Feb 11 to March 22, 2021; the questionnaire included the COVID behavioral questionnaire scale (CoBQ), as well as questions on intention to vaccinate, vaccination attitudes, and barriers to vaccine access. Descriptive and bivariate analyses assessed participant differences based on intention to vaccinate. Results: Most unvaccinated survey respondents (n = 121) were White (89.3%) and female (78.5%), with an average age of 52.3±14.1 years. Lack of intention to vaccinate was negatively associated with trust in the science behind vaccine development (P = .040), belief in the safety of the vaccine (P = .005) and belief that the vaccine was needed (P=.050). CoBQ scores of respondents who intended to get vaccinated differed significantly from those who did not (P<.001), showing a greater negative impact of COVID-19 on engaging in health behaviors for vaccine-hesitant participants. Conclusion: Study findings show mistrust of science and lack of confidence in vaccine safety are barriers to vaccination in rural northern Illinois residents. Similar results have been reported in low- and middle-income countries.

COVID-19 behavioral questionnaire (CoBQ): Comparing the pandemic's impact on health behavior in three US states.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic impacted daily routines for a majority of the population, with implications for their health behaviors. Racial and ethnic minorities have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. The novel COVID-19 Behavioral Questionnaire (CoBQ) was developed in Fall 2020 to provide a means to measure the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the United States population. The study utilized behavioral domains to determine which demographic groups reported that they were made the most vulnerable during Fall-Winter 2020-2021 of the pandemic. Objectives: The study aimed to further validate and test the CoBQ in varied US regions and compare the scores obtained from three states, California, Ohio, and Illinois. Methods: A prospective, multi-site survey-based study was designed to further validate and test the 17-item CoBQ in varied populations. Respondents included patients on routine visits at each pharmacy or clinical site who agreed to complete the survey online via Qualtrics. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, psychometric testing, and comparison of groups using Analysis of Variance. Results: Completed surveys (n = 507) between October 2021 and March 2021 were analyzed. Respondents were mostly female, white, and had some college education. The CoBQ showed improved reliability compared with previous testing and strong construct validity through factor analysis. Overall scores were similar between three states. The most impacted groups included those who reported within the 18-49 age group, a yearly household income <$50 000, or education up to high school. Conclusions: The CoBQ is the first validated tool to measure the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on health behaviors. Results could serve as a baseline to address the most vulnerable patient groups and support identified behavioral needs during a similar pandemic situation.

Will they, or Won't they? Examining patients' vaccine intention for flu and COVID-19 using the Health Belief Model.

BACKGROUND: The twindemic of influenza and COVID-19 places pharmacists in a position of high-impact to inform and manage vaccination uptake. Given prior vaccine hesitancy in the US and the current high impact of COVID-19 on the population, it is imperative to understand and address factors that drive perceptions and intention to get vaccinated. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to 1) determine impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on influenza vaccine uptake, on patient perceptions of vaccinations, vaccine intention, and health behaviors and 2) determine vaccine intention through the Health Belief Model. METHODS: An IRB-approved prospective Qualtrics-based survey was administered online to eligible respondents: non-pregnant panel respondents 18 years or older within the United States who could independently complete the entire questionnaire in English. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, psychometric analyses of the 5C and CoBQ tools, one-way ANOVA to compare demographic groups and vaccine intention items with survey scores, and mapping and path analysis of the HBM with one added domain (Decision Making Determinant, DMD). RESULTS: 525 respondents completed the survey from October 23-29, 2020. Respondents aged 18-49, making less than $20,000 or an undisclosed income, and not having anyone close to them directly affected by COVID-19 showed a significant, negative impact of COVID-19 on health behavior and a significantly lower vaccine acceptance. The 5C and CoBQ showed moderately strong reliability. Mapping for the HBM revealed significant correlations between all modifying factors with Individual Perceptions except for Race/Ethnicity. Of the Individual Perceptions, Perceived Benefits (-.114) and Perceived Barriers (.307) significantly predicted DMD and directly impacted Vaccine Intention. DMD was not a significant mediator of Vaccination Intention. CONCLUSIONS: Vaccination messaging should focus on a simple yet balanced view of benefits and risks, targeting those under age 50 and living in low-income households, to motivate uptake of influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.

Assessing communication skills in student pharmacists-Psychometric validation of Global Communication Rubric.

ASSESSING COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN STUDENT PHARMACISTS: Psychometric validation of the Global Communication Rubric. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to perform psychometric validation of the Global Communication (GC) rubric. METHODS: The GC rubric was developed and used for the past 10 years at the institution to assess level of communication skills in Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE) in the PharmD program. The rubric consisted of 6 questions with the scoring criteria of 0 (failure), 1 (needs improvement), 2 (satisfactory), and 3 (excellent). Data from GC rubric scores for Classes 2010 to 2020 (1,100 students) was used to perform psychometric validation by assessing the following properties: scale reliability; face, content, construct, and predictive validity; and responsiveness. RESULTS: Internal consistency reliability was acceptable at Cronbach's alpha of 0.78. Construct validity showed that all six items loaded highly onto one component. Responsiveness was demonstrated using uptrend of the score improvement as the students advance in the curriculum from P1 to P3 levels. CONCLUSION: The result of this study confirmed reliability and validity of the GC rubric in evaluating communication skills of student pharmacists. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: The GC rubric is valuable in evaluating short encounters in an easy and expedited manner.

Scoping review: the empowerment of Alzheimer's Disease caregivers with mHealth applications.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent neurodegenerative chronic diseases. As it progresses, patients become increasingly dependent, and their caregivers are burdened with the increasing demand for managing their care. Mobile health (mHealth) technology, such as smartphone applications, can support the need of these caregivers. This paper examines the published academic literature of mHealth applications that support the caregivers of AD patients. Following the PRISMA for scoping reviews, we searched published literature in five electronic databases between January 2014 and January 2021. Twelve articles were included in the final review. Six themes emerged based on the functionalities provided by the reviewed applications for caregivers. They are tracking, task management, monitoring, caregiver mental support, education, and caregiver communication platform. The review revealed that mHealth applications for AD patients' caregivers are inadequate. There is an opportunity for industry, government, and academia to fill the unmet need of these caregiver.

Identifying areas of improvement for cultural competence in pharmacy curricula: A multi-school study using the self-assessment of perceived level of cultural competence (SAPLCC) questionnaire.

INTRODUCTION: The implementation of culturally competent healthcare services has been considered a key strategy for the provision of patient-centered care; however, a need remains to address the requirements of teaching cultural competence, including identifying gaps, designing and evaluating curricula, and assessing students' progress toward program objectives. The objective of this study was to explore the applicability of the Self-Assessment of Perceived Level of Cultural Competence (SAPLCC) questionnaire in the identification of improvement areas in cultural competence content in pharmacy curricula. METHODS: This study used previously-collected SAPLCC data from student pharmacists at eight United States pharmacy schools. Total and factor-specific SAPLCC scores were calculated based on the 14 factors published previously and grouped into six domains (knowledge, skills, attitudes, encounters, abilities, and awareness). Differences in overall scores by domain and factors across various student characteristics were examined using analysis of variance. RESULTS: The overall mean total SAPLCC score was classified as moderate. Third-year students had significantly higher SAPLCC mean scores than first-year students, and African American students scored significantly higher than their counterparts. At the factor-level, students scored higher in the Attitudes and Awareness domains and scored lower in the Knowledge, Skills, and Encounters domains. CONCLUSIONS: The application of the SAPLCC in schools participating in this preliminary study allowed for the identification of content areas that may benefit from revision. The SAPLCC may be a useful tool for mapping cultural competence curricular content by each specific domain and identifying areas of potential improvement regarding cultural competence training within pharmacy curricula.

Report of the 2020-2021 Strategic Engagement Standing Committee.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP), strategic engagement is critical to the success of colleges and schools of pharmacy in expanding pharmacy and public health practice, meeting programmatic needs, and fulfilling institutional missions. The 2020-2021 Strategic Engagement Standing Committee was charged with identifying effective strategies to leverage the temporary expansion of pharmacist practice capabilities granted during the COVID-19 pandemic for sustained practice. The group was also tasked with looking at ways to partner with the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), our medicine counterparts to develop a plan for collaborating with them to advance interprofessional practice. In this unique year, all standing committees were charged with reading all the reports last year to put President Lin's charges into perspective with the hopes of carrying over the overall theme and work of the previous years committee. Overall, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, there have been several expansions on the scope of practice for pharmacists and vary by state. We hope to draw out some of those expansions to see how we can build upon efforts to make those permanent.

Pharmacy practice research priorities during the COVID-19 pandemic: Recommendations of a panel of experts convened by FIP Pharmacy Practice Research Special Interest Group.

Across the globe, pharmacists on the frontline continue to fight COVID-19 and its continuously evolving physical, mental, and economic consequences armed by their knowledge, professionalism, and dedication. Their need for credible scientific evidence to inform their practice has never been more urgent. Despite the exponentially increasing number of publications since the start of the pandemic, questions remain unanswered, and more are created, than have been resolved by the increasing number of publications. A panel of leading journal editors was convened by the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP) Pharmacy Practice Research Special Interest Group to discuss the current status of COVID-19 related research, provide their recommendations, and identify focal points for pharmacy practice, social pharmacy, and education research moving forward. Key priorities identified spanned a wide range of topics, reflecting the need for good quality research to inform practice and education. The panel insisted that a foundation in theory and use of rigorous methods should continue forming the basis of inquiry and its resultant papers, regardless of topic area. From assessing the clinical and cost effectiveness of COVID-19 therapies and vaccines to assessing different models of pharmaceutical services and education delivery, these priorities will ensure that our practice is informed by the best quality scientific evidence at this very challenging time.