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There are many tasks that a pharmacist is responsible for each day. Pharmacists are some of the most accessible members of the healthcare team, as individuals can seek their advice quickly and easily, even without an appointment.

Study on risk factors, potential harm associated with medication errors at hospital admission

A recent study conducted at Northwestern Memorial Hospital found that almost 50 percent of medication discrepancies were related to a failure to understand all of the prescription medications patients were taking at the time of hospital admission. While it's common for patients not to recall all of their medications, especially when they are not feeling well or being unexpectedly admitted to the hospital, the results can be serious.

6 May 2010

Bar-code eMAR combination of technologies reduce transcription, medication administration errors

Using bar-code technology with an electronic medication administration record (eMAR) substantially reduces transcription and medication administration errors, as well as potential drug-related adverse events, says a new study funded by HHS' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The study is published in the May 6 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

6 May 2010

Clinical Solutions introduces 'Seven competencies for e-care'

Clinical Solutions, the leading provider of health-based customer relationship management (CRM) and clinical content solutions, is today launching the 'Seven competencies of e-care' as the focal point for its new market strategy and website http://www.clinicalsolutions.com.

5 May 2010

Fifth Community Pharmacy Agreement planned by the Pharmacy Guild of Australia

According to an Australian Financial Review report the major pharmaceutical companies have agreed to reduce the Australian government’s medicine bill by AUD $2 billion over the next four years only if they are assured of price modifications in future. The details of the agreement are to be revealed next week and experts believe it will reduce the burden on the federal budget which is still considering the source of funds to pay for its health reform package.

4 May 2010

Calif. doctors say e-health saved lives; in Mich., doctors visit patients online

Reuters/The Washington Post: An electronic medical system first introduced in 2007 has shown a 20 percent drop in hospital deaths -- the equivalent of about 36 lives saved -- over 18-months at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital in Palo Alto California, doctors there have found. The system, a computerized physician order entry, or CPOE, allows "doctors to relay prescriptions to pharmacists without delay, and without the need for the pharmacist to decipher doctors' scrawl."

3 May 2010

McNeil Consumer Healthcare implements voluntary recall of infant and children's liquid products

Working in consultation with the United States Food and Drug Administration, McNeil Consumer Healthcare is implementing a voluntary recall of infant and children's liquid products due to manufacturing deficiencies which may affect quality, purity or potency.

3 May 2010

Codeine containing preparations lose their OTC status

It will get more difficult to procure Codeine based pain killers, cough syrups etc. from the local pharmacists from now on. There have been new restrictions over codeine based drugs like Nurofen Plus, Panadeine and Mersyndol which were initially sold over the counter but lost this OTC status with effect from May 1st 2010. The National Drugs and Poisons Schedule Committee formulated the changes during meetings in June and October last year.

2 May 2010

Gonorrhea may soon become untreatable according to WHO

According to the World Health organization (WHO), gonorrhea may soon become untreatable and urgent measures need to be taken to prevent and treat the sexually transmitted infection. This is the result of improper use of first line antibiotics which has led to widespread anti microbial resistance to drugs. The cheaper antibiotics no longer have as much effect as they should and the higher antibiotics will soon lose efficacy as well.

30 Apr 2010

87% of people risk dangerous levels of skin damage

Nearly nine out of ten people (87 per cent) could be risking dangerous levels of skin damage, which can lead to skin cancer, because they are either not using the right amount of sunscreen, not sure of the amount they use or are not using any at all - according to a new survey by Superdrug and Cancer Research UK.

29 Apr 2010

Primary health care providers play key role in helping patients navigate Canadian health care system

For Canadians with chronic conditions, having a regular doctor doesn't necessarily mean they're receiving the safest or most supportive medical care. That doctor must also provide the basic elements of good primary care, two of which are: knowing their patient's history and helping to coordinate other aspects of their care, according to a Health Council of Canada bulletin released today.

29 Apr 2010

Top ten tips for managing healthcare

America's healthcare system is about to undergo the most fundamental transformation in our nation's history. An already over-stressed system must absorb 32 million new patients at the same time that the country's huge baby boomer population is likely to need ever more medical attention as they age. And many of our most experienced and talented physicians will soon reach retirement age, leaving fewer experienced doctors to treat more patients.

28 Apr 2010

Ontario seniors stand against McGuinty government's $750M cuts to front-line healthcare

The Alliance of Seniors/Older Canadians Network, an organization of approximately 20 seniors organizations, representing in excess of 200,000 seniors across Ontario, along with concerned seniors from our communities, have come out today to stand against the McGuinty government's $750M cuts to front-line healthcare.

28 Apr 2010

A first step in the long road to health reform

Australia provides good health care to the majority of its citizens most of the time and compares well with like countries. The capacity for illness to destroy families financially, seen in the US and in many less economically advanced countries where governments make small or no contributions to the cost of health care, is much diminished by Medicare, public hospitals and subsidised pharmaceuticals.

27 Apr 2010

IPO stands shoulder to shoulder with chain pharmacies to stop frontline health care cuts

The Independent Pharmacists Association of Ontario said they will stand shoulder to shoulder with chain pharmacies in order to stop the massive frontline health care cuts proposed by the McGuinty government.

24 Apr 2010

CVS Caremark survey results of specialty pharmacy patients

CVS Caremark today announced results of a survey of the company's specialty pharmacy patients that provides insights into their views on medication adherence and their perceptions about the role of their specialty pharmacy. The survey results show nearly 70 percent of respondents believe their specialty pharmacy team played an important role in encouraging them to take their specialty medications as prescribed.

21 Apr 2010

New survey shows 82% of patients select OTC products recommended by their pharmacist

According to the most recent Pharmacy Today Over-the-Counter Product Survey conducted by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), pharmacists believe that 82 percent of consumers purchase over-the-counter products that were recommended by their pharmacist.

21 Apr 2010

Free Rite Aid wellness+ customer rewards program

Rite Aid customers and patients nationwide now can sign up for Rite Aid's new wellness+ customer rewards program that provides members with free health and wellness benefits, as well as shopping discounts and special prices. The program will be supported by a national television, radio, circular and digital advertising campaign.

20 Apr 2010

Funding cuts to Ontario pharmacists would have devastating effect on patients

Funding cuts to Ontario pharmacists would have a devastating effect on patients, particularly those cared for by independent pharmacists, Janet McCutchon, vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the Ontario Pharmacists' Association, told the Economic Club of Canada yesterday.

17 Apr 2010

Consortium studies gene-drug relationship to determine optimal warfarin doses

If Julie Johnson had her way, doctors would check a patient's genes before writing a prescription. Everyone responds differently to medicines—one that works for you might not work for me, or it could even be harmful. These individual responses depend to an extent on our genetic make-up.

16 Apr 2010

Physicians warn parents on dangers of prescription drug abuse among children

With reports of increased prescription drug overdoses in emergency departments, the nation's emergency physicians are issuing a strong warning to parents about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs, which are now the second most abused drugs, after marijuana. Hospital visits caused by accidental and unintentional prescription drug overdoses went up 37 percent between 1999 and 2006, according to new data released by the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

13 Apr 2010