As a partner to the pharmacy community, we understand the
critical role you play in the COVID-19 response. As a first line of
contact for many individuals, pharmacies can deliver important and vital
information regarding COVID-19. To help you communicate and provide factual
information, we’re offering free COVID-19 resources.
COVID-19 Resources: Why the Facts Matter
As with any scenario in the modern world, there’s a cloud of
misinformation surrounding COVID-19. The world is also seeing changes in
guidelines around how to protect yourself. This includes the recent new
guidance of encouraging all to wear cloth masks over their nose and mouth in
public. Previously, face masks were only deemed necessary for those sick or
interacting with infected patients.
We looked at the guidelines provided by the CDC to develop
resources for you to place in your pharmacy, as well as share on your social
media profiles. By being a source for consistent and reliable information, your
customers will be better prepared for facing life during the pandemic.
Other Ways to Communicate with Patients
In addition to offering free posters and social media posts,
our pharmacy print division, Printwerks,
can also design, print, and mail first-class letters to patients. These
services provide a way to stay connected with patients.
These branded letters enable you to communicate how you’re responding to COVID-19, such as
offering more flexible delivery or curbside pickup. It’s also another channel
to disperse COVID-19 facts. In a time when patients are worried about
prescription drug access and availability, you can reassure them of your
ability to take care of them.
Getting Your Free Resources Is Easy
It only takes a few minutes to get your free resources.
You’ll simply submit your information and receive two posters and two social
media posts with your logo. There is no cost for this service. It’s just our
way of saying thank you to all the pharmacy teams working tirelessly to make a
difference.
The healthcare ecosystem is on the frontlines of fighting
coronavirus. Each stakeholder plays an essential role in responding to the
virus. That includes pharmacists. The role of pharmacy in
the COVID-19 outbreak is evolving and changing, providing critical ways to help
mitigate the spread, deliver medications, and assisting with testing.
HHS Authorizes Pharmacists for COVID-19 Testing
On April 8, HHS issued a statement that authorizes licensed
pharmacists to order and administer COVID-19 tests. With this one decision,
pharmacists can now provide easier access to testing. By doing so, pharmacists
are now able to speed up diagnosis. This can lead to earlier treatment and
reduce the chance that the person will infect others.
Pharmacists have long acted as counsel to patients. They’ve
been a key player in immunizations as well. This new ability to test for
COVID-19 allows them to make a difference in their patients’ health.
Shortages Are Becoming More Common
Drug shortages have been an emerging fear for patients and
the healthcare community. These concerns include the increased demand for
medications that can treat COVID-19 as well as the medication taken for chronic
conditions.
Some reports have actually found these two points
converging. Those with autoimmune diseases, like lupus, are now facing shortages.
Hydroxychloroquine is a prescription that helps those with lupus fight off
flares. It’s now been making headlines because it may be a possible treatment
for coronavirus. Patients are scared they’ll be cut off because of new demand.
Supply, Demand, and 90-Day Fills
Further, pharmacists are also facing new requests for those
with chronic diseases, asking for 90-day supplies due to the concern with
needing to shelter in place. The problem many may be facing is that not all
insurance providers allow 90-day
fills for medications.
It’s a perfect storm of concerns with access, demand, and
supply. Finding new suppliers is challenging and often comes with a heftier
price tag. As the role of pharmacy in the COVID-19 pandemic grows, each
pharmacy must contend with ensuring that their patients have the medications
they need.
What Pharmacists Need to Address Operational Challenges and
Care Continuity
Pharmacy organizations issued a joint policy recommendation to enable pharmacists to
do more. To address the issue of shortages in medication and workforce, these
groups have requested a relaxation of operational barriers.
In short, they want to introduce flexible staffing that
allows pharmacists and techs to work across state lines, open satellite
locations in pharmacy deserts, and waive limitations on who can staff
the pharmacy. Additionally, they have called for the ability to provide early
refills and more 90-day supplies.
When looking at the shortage of medication issues,
pharmacists would like to be able to allow therapeutic interchange and substitution.
Further, they want expiration dates extended and more transparency from the FDA
about supply chain shortages.
With these changes, pharmacists can be better prepared to
keep serving their communities.
Keeping Patients Informed
As a direct point of access for many patients, pharmacists
have become providers of information as well. Many pharmacies are using
different channels to communicate with patients. That includes signage at stores
that offer advice from the medical community or sending communications to
patients to update them on how their response to the virus. Patients need to
hear from pharmacists now. This reassurance could minimize their worries.
Sharing Data: Essential in Tracking the Virus
The ability to share pharmacy data without different
entities could offer the healthcare community more insight. The HHS
announcement did not provide any details on how pharmacies will share test
results. While they are likely to submit them to government entities like HHS
and the CDC, other studies may benefit from them as well.
Currently, John’s Hopkins has a coronavirus tracker, which provides
information by state. There is also an IHME Model,
which projects hospital resource use. Researchers and experts at multiple
pharmaceutical and healthcare companies are scrambling to create a vaccine, and
pharmacy data could help.
The pharmacy data of prescriptions for those with COVID-19
could deliver key information to learning what’s working and what isn’t. Data
sharing is a critical need right now, as we all come to understand the
virus better.
Pharmacy on the Frontlines
As with any healthcare emergency, each segment of the industry has a role to play. Pharmacists just like physicians, nurses, and other clinicians, are on the frontlines of COVID-19. As a partner to the healthcare community, we appreciate all you do. We’re here to support you along the way.
The new HHS interoperability rule will forever change the
world of healthcare data. HHS adopted the new rules based on three major
objectives: providing better access to healthcare records for patients,
eradicating information blocking, and improving care coordination. While the
rule is inclusive to and applicable to many key stakeholders—patients,
providers, payers, and EHR vendors. It leaves out a significant player in the
healthcare ecosystem—pharmacy.
Why Pharmacy Deserves a Seat at the Table
Patients should certainly have access to all their
healthcare data. The HHS interoperability rule mandates that this occur. The
pressure is on providers and payers to offer easy access, but it doesn’t
include the entire circle of care. Healthcare records from physicians typically
include prescriptions, but there is no confirmation within these records that
the patient picked up or began the medication prescribed.
Pharmacy systems have this data. They have a complete view
of a patient’s prescription history across all providers. This data also
includes that they actually picked up the prescription. This is important
because patients don’t always adhere to the medication regimen. Further, many
patients get to the pharmacy, only to learn their insurance doesn’t cover the
medication. This scenario may never make it back to their physician.
With this in mind, pharmacy deserves
a seat at the table.
Care Coordination and Medication Adherence
Several requirements of the interoperability
rule relate to care coordination. First, all hospitals will be
required to send notifications of a patient’s admission, discharge, or
transfer. In an effort to improve care coordination and care continuity,
communication is vital.
Care coordination has long been a challenge in healthcare.
The healthcare system is fractured and disjointed. Establishing a new Condition
of Participation (CoP) should support coordination of care while also
decreasing readmissions.
So, how is healthcare going to tackle this without the
support and coordination of pharmacy?
Pharmacy Often Left Out of Healthcare Policy
This rule isn’t the first time that pharmacy has been
excluded from the conversation. Not until recently were pharmacists invited to
play a role in opioid task forces! Unbelievable but very true. At the root of
healthcare, there are central pillars that allow physicians to treat patients,
including labs, physical therapy, and pharmacy.
Providers, payers, and HHS could learn some critical
insights from pharmacy about medication adherence and how to improve it for
care continuity. Pharmacy absolutely deserves to be part of the new
interoperability rule because they play a vital role in treating
patients.
What do you think? Should HHS have consulted the pharmacy
industry on the new rules?
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