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Announcements
NYSCHP 2010 MIDYEAR CLINICALS and FACEBOOK
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Don't forget! October is National Pharmacy Month! Why not celebrate by attending the NYSCHP Midyear Clinicals!
Downstate: Friday, September 24, 2010 LaGuardia Crowne Plaza, East Elmhurst, NY
Upstate: Tuesday, October 26, 2010 Turning Stone Hotel, Verona, NY
Visit our website for more details!
August is National Immunization Awareness Month! National Immunization Awareness Month is designed to educate people that getting vaccines recommended for infants, children, adolescents, adults and seniors, are crucial to protecting not only that person's health, but the health of those around them. Public Health says vaccines are among the most cost-effective and successful public health tools for preventing disease and death.
Headlines
NYSCHP News
Pharmacy News
NYSCHP News
Leadership Succession
By Andrew Burgdorf
Leadership succession planning is an essential consideration for any professional organization striving for long term success. Converting members into active members and active members into officers is an ongoing challenge. In addition, when active local members get involved on the state or national scene, they get a broader vision of the role that each of the three entities plays. Ideally, leadership succession is a continuous process where active members are looking ahead and learning the steps necessary to achieve success at their next level, while consistently teaching those with interest, the techniques of their current position. Who should we recruit as the future of our organizations? There are no guarantees in this arena. This is what complicates the process. Not everyone is interested in moving ahead. Some folks are content where they are. Others will shy away when someone inquires about more responsibility or time investment. You must understand this up front and not let this fact deter you. Leaders must plant many seeds with the understanding that not all will bear fruit. Strategies to address the issue of leadership succession must be multi-faceted. One idea is to list qualities that your current rising stars or leaders have and recruit people who share these qualities. Developing and training leaders must be a group initiative. The responsibility cannot lie with one person. The task is too great. Mentoring plays a key role in this process as well. Mentee’s can lean on their more experienced colleagues to provide guidance when they have taken steps towards expanded roles. Finally, the focus of teaching future leaders should be on experiential learning. Using a hands-on cooperative approach to projects or initiatives will instill confidence in those that are learning the way. The New York State Council of Health-system Pharmacists is committed to maintaining a pipeline of emerging pharmacy professionals that will carry the profession into the future. As members, we all share the responsibility for bringing along the next generation of leaders. Leadership succession planning is not an initiative, it is an organizational philosophy. Reference: Ambler, George. "Six Best Practices of Leadership Development Initiatives." The Practice of Leadership (17 Feb. 2008). The Practice of Leadership. Web. 29 Aug. 2010. <http://www.thepracticeofleadership.net>.
2010 Midyear Clinicals: Oncology Best Practices and Medication Safety
NYSCHP proudly announces the 2010 Midyear Clinicals.
This year, the meetings will be held on Friday, September 24, 2010 at the LaGuardia Crowne Plaza in East Elmhurst, NY for Downstate and Tuesday, October 26, 2010 at Turningstone in Verona, NY for Upstate. The meetings bring leaders in the pharmacy profession together while keeping you up-to-date with state of the art technologies and research. Being a part of the meetings gives you access to innovative companies and motivated individuals so you can continue to make an impact on improving pharmacy. With just three months left until the meetings, it is time to learn more and sign up! Also included in the meeting is a Student Leadership Program/Residency showcase! Why participate? The Residency showcase is a great opportunity for prospective residents to meet programs’ current residents and preceptors in an informal session to gain information about their programs and institutions. Fees: Member: $100 Non-member: $200 Student/Tech: $35 Resident: $25 No refunds after September 15, 2010 for Downstate or October 10, 2010 for Upstate. Please visit our website and look for updates on these meetings! A special "thank you" to our sponsors: Amgen, GNYHA Services, Inc., Millennium Pharmaceuticals, sanofiaventis U.S., Centocor Ortho Biotech, Allergan, Novartis. Planned and conducted by NYSCHP, ASHP Advantagem PLEXUS, Medical Learning Institue, Inc., Center for Excellence Media, LLC., The France Foundation
Any questions? Contact the office at 518-456-8819 or email us at lmoscovic@nyschp.org
Chapter Spotlight: Long Island
By Heide Christensen, President
As I sit to write this chapter spotlight I think about the progress our chapter has made in the last three years. Our membership continues to grow each month and we are excited that many of our Pharmacy Leaders are taking an active role in our chapter. Amanda Ryan, Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services for Catholic Health Services of Long Island is our past president. Steven Cabble, Director of Pharmacy, St. Francis Hospital, is our past, past president and continues to provide mentorship to incoming leaders as does Donna Sym, also past president and Associate Clinical Professor at St. John’s University. Kathleen Minlionica, Director of Pharmacy, Brooklyn Hospital, continues to do outstanding work as our treasurer and Edmund Hayes, Associate Director, Stony Brook University Hospital, our secretary, strives to continually improve our website and communication with our members. We welcome our president-elect Mark Macchia, Associate Director Pharmaceutical Services, Mercy Medical Center. It is an honor to have these leaders support our chapter in their current roles. One of the goals of our chapter was to offer programs of interest to maintain and improve the competence of pharmacists and associated personnel. I am happy to say that we have consistently sponsored nine meetings each year to meet this goal. Our talented board of directors has also been busy trying to deliver new and unique programs to our members. For the last three years, we have dedicated our March meeting to the PGY-1 residents from our neighboring hospitals. At this meeting, the residents present their research projects which often focus on hospital pharmacy initiatives. These project presentations often times inspire our members to initiate projects at their own institution and also give the residents a platform to showcase their hard work and contribution to the profession of pharmacy. It also allows our chapter to encourage newly licensed pharmacists to become active members of our organization. Steve Cabble has initiated a Pharmacy Director’s Meeting, a half-day meeting, which presents lectures on current and challenging topics of interest to our hospital pharmacy directors. In April 2010, our chapter hosted the “Quad meeting” and the topic was antimicrobial resistance, a common problem in our hospitals. It was held at St. John’s University, supported by our pharmaceutical industry colleagues, and attended by close to 200 people. We hope to continue to provide quality lectures to our members and look forward to exploring new and unique meeting agendas. I would like to take this opportunity to thank my board for a wonderful, productive year and all their hard work. This is truly a team effort and I am blessed to have such a dedicated team.
Journal of Pharmacy Practice Website: Now Easier to Navigate
With the JPP website redesigned, you may now have easier access and navigation to the Pharmacy News.
A few enhancments include: Expanded discipline search and browse across 50+ disciplines. Abstract preview – Mouse-over entries available from tables of contents and search results provide pop-up previews of abstracts, without leaving the page. Popular articles list – Most-viewed and most-cited articles lists are readily available from all pages within a journal site. Redesigned main portal page provides targeted options for improved navigation by all types of users. Tag-along navigation – Content features follow alongside as users scroll down the article page. Pop-up references – For full-text journals, full citations pop up when you hover over reference numbers within the text of an article. Keyword pivot searches – For all journals, keywords are now hyperlinked and perform quick searches of that term within all content in that journal. Feature hideaway – Author affiliations, related links, and other functions can be expanded or hidden from view; these preferences are retained throughout a session. The New York State Journal of Health-system Pharmacy merged with The Journal of Pharmacy Practice in August 2008. The Journal of Pharmacy Practice is the official journal of the New York State Council of Health-system Pharmacy. The Journal of Pharmacy Practice is a peer reviewed and indexed journal. The NYSCHP Editorial Board consists of Editor, Henry Cohen, Assoicate Editors, Antonia Alafris, Gina Caliendo and Horatio Fung and Managin Editor, Debra Feinberg.
Upcoming Certificate Programs
School is in Session! Mark your calendars now for the upcoming certificate programs!
Anticoagulation Practice Based Certificate Program Pain Management Practice Based Certificate Program Antimicrobial Stewardship Certificate Program
Home study information will be sent to registrants upon payment receipt. The home study portion MUST be completed prior to the program in order to participate. The registration fee includes CE statements of credit and a formal certificate of completion, which will be mailed upon successful completion of the program, in its entirety.
Pharmacy News
UIW Pharmacy School Earns Stamp of Approval
San Antonio Business Journal (08/06/10)
The Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) has granted full accreditation for the Feik School of Pharmacy of the University of the Incarnate Word in Texas. The Feik School achieved all necessary requirements for accreditation after it graduated its first class in May 2010. The ACPE board of directors will make a follow-up visit to the school during the 2011-2012 school year, at which time they will consider extending full accreditation status to the pharmacy school for an additional four years.
Clinic Travel a Winning Strategy for Onc Pharmacist/Nurse Team
Pharmacy Practice News (08/10) Vimont, Celia
A recent study, presented at the 2010 annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, found that the use of roving pharmacist/nurse teams can significantly improve the quality of patient care at adult oncology clinics. The study looked at care provided by the Supportive Care Consult Service at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The program allows oncology clinics to request visits from the team where the pharmacists and the nurse conduct consults together. Once the team develops a plan of action, they present it to the patient's physician and, if approved, work to implement the treatment. Researchers reviewed outcomes in 89 patients seen in the first 18 months of the program. They found that, out of a total of 292 patient consults, pain was the reason given for 75 percent of cases, constipation was responsible for 11 percent, nausea/vomiting for 8 percent, anxiety for 4 percent, and 2 percent for spiritual concerns. Tumor types included lung, gynecologic, head and neck, genitourinary, gastrointestinal, and breast. In a sample of 49 patients, average pain scores decreased from 4 to 2.7 while nausea scores dropped from 4 to 1.4, and constipation went from 2.0 to 1.6, all by the second visit. Those clinical improvements also persisted beyond the second visit. Additionally, researchers analyzed the type and frequency of interventions by pharmacists in the program. In the first 18 months after inception, the team recommended an increase in medication in 57 percent of cases, a decrease in 4 percent, no change in 21 percent, a switch of medication in 21 percent, additional medications in 32 percent, and a discontinuation of medication in 6 percent.
Randomized Trial of a Program to Increase Staff Influenza Vaccination in Primary Care Clinics
Annals of Family Medicine (08/01/10) Vol. 8, No. 4, P. 293; Abramson, Zvi Howard; Avni, Ohad; Levi, Orit
Israeli researchers recently looked at the effect of a promotional and educational intervention program to increase flu vaccination among staff in primary care clinics. The study included 344 staff members with direct patient contact--including physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and administrative staff--in 27 primary care community clinics in the Jerusalem area during the 2007-2008 seasonal flu season. Investigators randomly chose 13 clinics to participate in an intervention that consisted of a lecture session by a family physician, literature and reminders via email, and individual approach by a key figure from the local staff. The immunization rate was 52.8 percent in the intervention group compared with 26.5 percent in the control group. When compared with the previous flu season, the intervention clinics experienced a 25.8 percent increase in immunization, versus 6.6 percent in the control clinics. The authors concluded that their intervention program was effective in increasing vaccination rates among primary healthcare workers. "This simple intervention," they write, "could be reproduced easily in other clinics and organizations with an expected substantial increase in influenza immunization rates."
Computerized Order System Cuts Drug Errors for Seniors By 16 Percent
Dotmed (10/10/10) Nafziger, Brendon
A customized computerized provider order entry (CPOE) drug warning system was recently found to cut the rate of drug errors for elderly patients from 11.56 to 9.94 per day at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The study, led by Dr. Melissa L.P. Mattison, also found that the system did not appear to cause "alert fatigue" nor did rates of prescription for other medications change. The study followed prescription data for patients 65 years and older between June 1, 2004 and Nov. 29, 2004, before the CPOE system was installed, and from March 17, 2005 to Aug. 30, 2008, after its installation. The system alerted physicians if any drugs they prescribed could be found on a list of medications geriatric medical specialists consider high risk for elderly patients, including diazepam (Valium), naproxen (Aleve), clorazepate dipotassium (Tranxene), and fluoxetine hydrochloride (Prozac). The system would then recommend an alternative drug or a dose reduction.
Avandia Gets Equivocal Vote From FDA Panel
Washington Post (07/15/10) P. A4; Stein, Rob
An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reached a mixed vote regarding the fate of the diabetes drug rosiglitazone (Avandia) on Wednesday. Although 12 of the 33 panelists voted to withdraw rosiglitazone from the market entirely, the majority voted to keep it available, possibly with new, tougher restrictions. The intense debate over rosiglitazone was illustrated by the FDA panel votes, which came after reviewing more than 1,000 pages of information and hearing from 18 speakers. FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg is expected to make the final decision about the drug. Seven members of the FDA panel voted that rosiglitazone should remain available, with additional warnings on the drug's label, and 10 voted for label revisions and sale restrictions. Another three members voted for no change in the drug's status, and one member abstained. The panel also concluded that there was sufficient evidence that rosiglitazone may increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes, but not enough evidence that it increased the overall risk of death. The committee also voted to recommend that the FDA continue to allow a large, international study by drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline that intends to compare the safety of rosiglitazone with pioglitazone (Actos), another popular diabetes drug.
That Prescription-Drug Info From the Pharmacy Can Fall Short
Los Angeles Times (08/09/10) Dennis, Tami
A recent study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, found that the medication information legally required by the FDA to be included in pharmaceutical packaging is often not helpful to patients. University of Florida researchers analyzed the experiences of a number of consumers filling prescriptions for lisinopril (Zestril, Prinivil) and metformin (Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Fortamet, Riomet). Their assessment of the written information provided with those prescriptions found that the "directions for use" section lacked specific directions that would allow patients to manage potential risks associated with the medication. They also concluded that the high reading level required to comprehend the presented information and inadequate formatting could also seriously inhibit patient understanding of the materials provided. Additionally, only 6 percent of pharmacists provided patients with verbal clarification of these materials. Experts say these findings indicate that skilled pharmacists are often underused in the current healthcare system. For this reason, healthcare observers advise patients to ask questions of pharmacists before using any medications. As Julie Donohue, an associate professor of health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh, argues, "In terms of the number of hours spent studying drug effectiveness, pharmacists are better trained than physicians."
Protect Skin From Sun Damage: Educate Patients
Drug Topics (08/15/10) Milstead, Stephen
Pharmacists are in an excellent position to provide patients with information regarding sun-damage prevention, writes Trinity Hospital pharmacist Stephen Milstead BS, MS, PharmD. He recommends that pharmacists start such a discussion by pointing out certain factors such as tropical regions, high altitudes, infrequent sun exposure, skin blemishes, or light coloring that can increase a patient's risk of skin cancer. Patients should also always be advised of medications that cause photosensitivity, including birth-control products, tetracycline, sulfa drugs, some antibiotics, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, phenothiazines, tricyclics, thiazide diuretics, and sulfonylureas. Additionally, pharmacists should ensure patients are aware of proper sunscreen application by advising them to put on the product 15 to 30 minutes before exposure and reapplying every two hours or after heavy sweating, towel-drying, and water exposure, even if the product is labeled water-resistant. Patients should also be counseled to use products with "broad spectrum" protection and a SPF of 15 or greater. However, pharmacists should also warn that there are no standardized labels for UVA radiation, which is considered more damaging than UVB radiation, and that any SPF higher than 30 will not generally improve sun protection because the sun's cumulative effects increase and the product's integrity decreases with lengthy exposure.
A Reckoning for REMS: FDA's Risk Program in the Spotlight
Wall Street Journal (07/27/10) Hobson, Katherine
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently held a two-day public meeting devoted to gaining feedback on risk evaluation and mitigation strategies (REMS) as part of its two-year implementation of the program. Speakers at the meeting included representatives from the American Society of Clinical Oncology, patient advocates, Kaiser Permanente, and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). In a recent announcement, FDA summarized concerns from various stakeholders including questions regarding the costs associated with such programs, the burden that REMS may impose on doctors and pharmacists, and the potential that REMS may restrict access to certain medications. PhRMA, for its part, has told FDA that it would like the agency to more clearly identify why certain aspects of a REMS are necessary and to explain how it weighs risk mitigation against the burden on patients and providers.
B. Braun Customers Gain Premier Access to Zynx Health Device Network's Evidence-based, Customizable Drug Library Program
PRNewswire (08/05/10)
The Zynx Health Device Network and B.Braun have joined forces to implement the Prime-A-Pump program for creating and updating drug libraries onto B.Braun smart infusion pumps. Prime-A-Pump provides evidence-based and experience-based clinical decision support, balancing the number of dosing alerts to offer important patient safety data but not interfere with workflow and result in staff avoiding the safety features. Users can review evidence, customize their drug library recommendations, have virtual conversations with colleagues, vote on recommendations, and archive as many versions as necessary to be accessed 24 hours a day.
New Standard for Labeling on Injectable Medications Designed to Reduce Likelihood of Patient Death, Disability
USP (08/04/2010)
To reduce the risk of errors in administering injectable medications, the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention (USP) has advocated new labeling requirements. Under these requirements, the information permitted on the highly visible area of medication vials would be standardized to contain only cautionary statements intended to prevent life-threatening situations. This area of the vial must remain blank if the medication contained does not need a cautionary statement, preventing company logos, names, and other such information from being printed in these locations. "The situations in which injectable products are often administered to patients can be very busy, such as emergency rooms or intensive care units," said Roger L. Williams, MD, chief executive officer of USP. "The new requirements being announced today are intended to make it more likely that doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare practitioners using injectable products will be able to better see and act on labeling statements that convey important safety messages critical for the prevention of life-threatening situations that may result from the misadministration of a product." Research has shown that the labeling on injectable products could be linked to medication errors when these products are administered. Patient safety data from U.S. hospitals indicate that the most severe errors related to injectable medication have been largely related to human performance deficits, particularly at the time of administration and often due to environmental distractions. The new USP requirements apply to the top surface of the ferrule and cap overseal of a vial that contains an injectable medication. According to the FDA, manufacturers will need to provide a rationale to the FDA if the manufacturer wants to include a cautionary statement about an imminent life-threatening situation on the ferrule or cap overseal of their product. Under the new requirements, other information will still be permitted elsewhere on the medication vials.
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August 2010
New York State Council of Health-system Pharmacists
Pine West Plaza, Bldg #2
(518) 456-8819
Washington Ave Extension Albany, NY 12205 • e-mail link About ASHP
ASHP is a 35,000-member national professional association that represents pharmacists who practice in hospitals, health maintenance organizations, long-term care facilities, home care, and other components of health care systems. ASHP is the only national organization of hospital and health-system pharmacists and has a long history of improving medication use and enhancing patient safety.
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
7272 Wisconsin Avenue
301-657-3000
Bethesda, MD 20814 • e-mail link NYSCHP Calendar of Events
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