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Community pharmacy, also known as retail pharmacy, is the most common type of pharmacy that allows the public access to their medications and advice about their health. Traditionally known as a chemist, it is the healthcare facility that is responsible for the provision of pharmaceutical service to a specific community group or region.

Automated SafetySurveillor system to detect healthcare-associated infections

The Premier healthcare alliance today announced that Bon Secours St. Francis Medical Center of Midlothian, Va., selected Premier’s SafetySurveillor® Web-based infection tracking and antimicrobial utilization tool. More than 270 hospitals use SafetySurveillor to help prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) and optimize antibiotic use, thereby protecting patients more effectively while safely reducing hospital costs.

30 Sep 2009

90-day supply program to improve overall healthcare

Walgreens (NYSE:WAG) today launched a broad initiative for 90-day prescriptions that promotes delivery of maintenance and chronic care medication through its national network of more than 7,000 community pharmacies and employer worksite centers.

29 Sep 2009

SUNY Stony Brook implements PatientKeeper ePrescription and Pay for Performance

PatientKeeper®, Inc., the leading provider of Physician Information Technology, announced today that the physicians at State University of New York (SUNY) at Stony Brook will be using PatientKeeper ePrescription™ and PatientKeeper Pay for Performance (P4P)™, expanding their deployment of the PatientKeeper’s physician-focused applications.

29 Sep 2009

New microchip to detect type and severity of cancer

UofT researchers have used nanomaterials to develop a microchip sensitive enough to quickly determine the type and severity of a patient's cancer so that the disease can be detected earlier for more effective treatment.

29 Sep 2009

Walk-in flu shots to lure customers into drugstores

Americans may be as likely to get a flu shot at one of the nation's largest pharmacy chains as in a doctor's office or clinic. That should not be surprising, according to healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information. The nation's major drugstores have been using flu shot programs to earn revenue and to draw customers in the store to make other purchases, an indirect revenue strategy that Kalorama Information predicted in its reports on the retail clinic phenomenon in recent years.

29 Sep 2009

CIGNA encourages people to prioritize their health care plans

How much time does the average person spend reviewing their health care insurance when it’s time to enroll or reenroll in a plan? A recent survey conducted for CIGNA shows that although 78 percent said they give it a lot or some consideration, almost half (46%) of those who say they’re responsible for the review spend less than 30 minutes on the task.

29 Sep 2009

NCPA commends U.S. Senate Finance Committee's approval of the Cantwell amendment

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) today commended the U.S. Senate Finance Committee for approving by unanimous, voice vote an amendment by U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) to lower health care costs through common-sense disclosure requirements for any pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) participating in the health insurance exchanges envisioned in Chairman Max Baucus’ (D-MT) America’s Healthy Future Act.

26 Sep 2009

Cantwell amendment will raise cost of prescription drugs: PCMA

“America’s pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) believe strongly in the principle of transparency and empowering payers to make informed health-care purchasing decisions resulting in lower prescription drug costs and higher quality. Regrettably, today’s amendment moves the health care system in the opposite direction.”

26 Sep 2009

Seasonal and H1N1 flu vaccines from Priority Health

Priority Health has announced its coverage of both the seasonal flu and H1N1 flu vaccines. “Preventing the flu through immunization is the best way to keep yourself and your family healthy,” said John Fox, M.D., associate vice president of Medical Affairs at Priority Health. “We encourage our members to receive both vaccines to protect themselves against the two viruses.”

25 Sep 2009

Severe plagiocephaly in babies can lead to ear infections

The recommendation to lay babies on their backs to sleep has reduced sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), but has led to an increased number of infants with a skull deformity called deformational (or positional) plagiocephaly. Now new research suggests that infants with more severe plagiocephaly may have a higher rate of middle ear abnormalities associated with ear infections (otitis media), reports the September issue of The Journal of Craniofacial Surgery. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.

25 Sep 2009

Second-quarter fiscal 2010 results announced by Rite Aid

Rite Aid Corporation today reported revenues of $6.3 billion and a net loss of $116.0 million or $.14 per diluted share for its fiscal second quarter ended August 29, 2009. Adjusted EBITDA was $216.5 million or 3.4 percent of revenues.

24 Sep 2009

An updated HIPAA Privacy series released by LearnSomething

Keeping pharmacy staff and healthcare industry staff current on evolving HIPAA guidelines can be time-consuming and costly. An efficient and economical solution is on schedule from LearnSomething, the leading provider of eLearning for retail pharmacy and health care industries.

24 Sep 2009

Flood-affected customers in Georgia can obtain early refills of their prescriptions

UnitedHealth Group and its family of companies are authorizing plan participants who are affected by the floods in Georgia and enrolled in its fully insured health plans and pharmacy benefit management (PBM) services to obtain early refills of their prescription medications. In addition, a free help line is available for people who are coping with the emotional consequences of the floods.

24 Sep 2009

Walgreens ensures that all its pharmacies can provide Tamiflu

Less than a month after launching the largest flu prevention initiative in the company’s 108-year history, Walgreens is taking proactive measures to ensure its nearly 7,000 pharmacies can provide the suspension - or liquid - form of seasonal flu-fighting drug Tamiflu this season. Following Tamiflu manufacturer Roche’s notification that Tamiflu Oral Suspension is in short supply, Walgreens pharmacies in all 50 states are prepared to compound Tamiflu capsules into the liquid form to produce an Oral Suspension prescription. Tamiflu capsules remain in adequate supply.

24 Sep 2009

PCMA releases statement regarding the Senate Finance Committee’s ongoing deliberations on health-care reform

“As the Senate Finance Committee continues to craft legislation, the next 48 hours will be critical in determining whether health reform delivers on the promise of making prescription drugs more affordable for all Americans. With nearly $245 billion spent annually on prescription drugs, Americans want the peace of mind that comes from knowing that reform makes common-sense improvements that lower the cost of prescriptions for everyone.

24 Sep 2009

NIH awards three UNC Scientists for high risk and innovative research

Three scientists from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center have received prestigious awards from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) aimed at encouraging "high risk" and innovative research.

24 Sep 2009

Lux Biosciences announces results of its LX214 human safety study for dry eye syndrome

Lux Biosciences, Inc. a privately held biotechnology company focused on the treatment of ophthalmic diseases, today announced results from a Phase 1 human safety and an open-label pilot efficacy study of the company’s potential best-in-class therapy for dry eye, LX214 (topical mixed nanomicellar formulation of voclosporin).

24 Sep 2009

Safety tips for OTC and prescription medications

The beginning of October marks the start of Talk About Prescriptions Month, which is sponsored by the National Council on Patient Information and Education. In support of this annual awareness effort, Health Net, Inc. (NYSE:HNT) is sharing tips to help consumers safely take over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription medications.

23 Sep 2009

Eldorado and WellDyneRx collaborate to create and market integrated claims processing software

Eldorado Computing, Inc. (ELDORADO), a leading provider of health benefit and claims management platforms, and WellDyneRx Inc., a national pharmacy benefits management (PBM) company, announced today that they are collaborating to create and market integrated claims processing software and PBM services to payers.

23 Sep 2009

NCPA supports proposal for adopting PBM transparency

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA) today praised U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-WA) for authoring an amendment to lower health care costs by adopting common-sense disclosure requirements for any pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) participating in the health insurance exchanges envisioned under a proposal by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT).

23 Sep 2009