Iowa Prescription Drug Donation Repository

Distributes Over 250,000 Pills Worth $315,000

Some 250,000 prescription pills worth about $315,000 have been distributed to clinics through the Iowa Prescription Drug Donation Repository.

The purpose of the program is to improve the health of low-income Iowans by authorizing medical facilities and pharmacies to re-dispense prescription drugs and supplies that would otherwise be destroyed, according to a statement from the Iowa Department of Public Health.

Implementation of the Iowa Prescription Drug Donation Repository (PDDR) was allowed in 2005 by passage of House File 724 in the Iowa State Legislature. The program is overseen by the Iowa Department of Public Health in cooperation with the Iowa Board of Pharmacy examiners. The Iowa Prescription Drug Corporation (IPDC), a not for profit entity, was awarded the contract to administer the program in November, 2006. The program officially began operations on May 16, 2007 following a 3-month pilot.

Any medication, except for controlled substances, may be donated if it’s sealed in its original, tamper-evident packaging. A single, unit-dose or blister pack with the outside packaging opened may be accepted if its packaging remains intact and it bears an expiration date that is more than six months after the date the medication was donated.

The majority of donations, to date, have come from long-term care (LTC) pharmacy providers who dispense medications in sealed unit-dose systems. Other donation sources include physician medication samples and private individuals with sealed or unit-dose medications.

All LTC medications are under the continuous control of a health care professional. Once they arrive at IPDC, they are verified by a licensed pharmacist for accuracy (the medication name on the product matches what the product actually is). Medications are also scrutinized for integrity and proper expiration dating. Any questionable medications are discarded prior to going into IPDC inventory. Safety and quality are of utmost concern at all times.

Patients who fall below 200% of the federal poverty level or who are uninsured or underinsured are eligible to receive medications from the repository. Other patients may be eligible to receive medications as well.

Pharmacies and medical facilities with authority to dispense may re-dispense donated medications. Free clinics and rural health clinics are two examples of such facilities.

There is no charge for the medication but pharmacies and medical facilities may charge up to twice the Medicaid professional dispensing fee to cover their professional services.

07/02/08

Web Watch: Focus on MTMS/DSM

In an effort to keep members abreast of the most current trends in pharmacy practice, according to Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA), a new MTMS/DSM page has been added to the OPA Web site.

The goal of Disease State Management (DSM) is to improve patient health through safe and effective use of medications, says an article in the Ohio Pharmacist magazine. To help pharmacists achieve this goal with patients, the new page features information regarding Medication Therapy Management Services (MTMS); how to implement and how to get paid for this service.

Also 8included are detailed patient benefits, case studies and FAQs for both pharmacists and patients. Information regarding the Asheville Project, Medicare Part D information, and links to relevant DSM sites are also available. OPA will continue to update this page as new information becomes available.

OPA’s Web site is ohiopharmacists.org.

06/15/08

CPF Awards Grants to PSW

Community Pharmacy Foundation (CPF) has awarded the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) with one of its top signature grants this year in support of PSW’s work on the Wisconsin Pharmacy Quality Collaborative (WPQC).

CPF funding will support PSW’s work to administer and conduct the WPQC program with the expectation that the results and experiences gained through WPQC will be shared with interested persons across the country.

CPF is an organization whose primary purpose is to assist community pharmacy practitioners by providing resources for research and development to encourage new capabilities and continuous improvement in the delivery of patient care, according to a recent news release.

06/09/08

Arcadia Resources Announces Official Start of

DailyMed Program With Indiana Medicaid

Arcadia Resources, which provides consumer health care services under the trade name Arcadia HealthCare, has started filling DailyMed prescriptions through the Care Select program to Indiana Medicaid members, a recent news release indicated.

Over the past several months, Arcadia has worked closely with the State of Indiana on a DailyMed pilot with the state’s newly created Care Select program. The Care Select program allows approximately 70,000 Medicaid recipients with serious mental illnesses, developmental disabilities and chronic disease to receive assistance in coordinating personalized healthcare.

According to the release, Care Select clients receive individual attention to help them manage their health care challenges. The program, the statement pointed out, provides individuals with coaching, education and care management services, such as DailyMed, to help them not only deal with their health needs, but lead healthier, more productive lives.

The Care Select population costs the State of Indiana $14,000 a year per member. By increasing the quality of life of these Medicaid recipients with program such as DailyMed, the state will reap the long-term benefits of a reduced cost trajectory in Medicaid expenses, commented Mitch Roob, secretary of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA).

“The initial roll out phase and the early adoption of the DailyMed program within Care Select are consistent with our estimates, and we are very excited to now offer DailyMed to Care Select members with the greatest need for pharmaceutical care and oversight,” said Marvin R. Richardson, president and CEO of Arcadia. He continued that “once adopted, DailyMed will provide the opportunity to improve pharmaceutical care as well as to begin reducing health care costs for the State of Indiana.”

DailyMed transfers a patient’s prescriptions, over-the-counter medications and vitamins and organizes them into pre-sorted packets clearly marked with the date and time they should be taken. The entire 30-day supply is delivered directly to a patient’s home in a convenient dispensing box after a pharmacist has reviewed the entire medication profile for that month’s supply.

06/09/08

Naeger Honored by Pharmacists Mutual Companies

Scott Naeger, a graduate of Missouri State University, was awarded the 2007 Commitment to Excellence award by Pharmacists Mutual Companies at their 2008 annual sales and marketing meeting.

The award recognizes a field representative who has displayed dedication to excellence in service to customers based on several areas of measurement.

06/23/08

Boyer installed as Ohio Pharmacist President

David M. Boyer, RPh, Tallmadge, Ohio, was installed as president of the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) at its 130th annual conference in April.

Boyer, a staff pharmacist for Summa Health Systems in Akron, is a past vice-president of the Ohio Pharmacists Foundation board of trustees. He volunteered as regional vice president of the Pharmacists Rehabilitation Organization Inc., which helps recovering pharmacists return to the practice of pharmacy. He has given presentations on a variety of topics to pharmacists, pharmacy students and the public in his community. In 2000, he received the University of Toledo College of Pharmacy Norman F. Billups Distinguished Alumni Service Award. He is a past president of the Ohio Society of Health-System Pharmacists, which awarded him their highest honor, the Walter M. Frazier Award. Boyer also holds membership in the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

06/23/08

OPA Annual Conference Attracts Big Crowds

More than 1100 pharmacists and pharmacy students attended the largest ever Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) 130^th annual conference, according to an article in the May Ohio Pharmacist.

In addition to the 77 vendors at the trade show, 58 hours of continuing education programming were conducted. An exhibit hall featured a career fair which also attracted attention from the attendees.

The OPA 2008-2009 board of trustees were installed at the conference. They included treasurer Joe Sabino, Maria Giannakos-Whitacre, student trustee Kate Rooney, Kim Broedel-Zaugg, past president Danny Bentley, president Dave Boyer, Wayne Miller, Bill Adam, vice president Matt Fettman, Tom Whiston, Larry Fligor, president-elect Dale Bertke, and executive committee member-at-large Steve Burson.

06/15/08

Leckrone Joins OPA Staff

Tiffany Leckrone has joined the Ohio Pharmacists Association (OPA) as administrative assistant. She holds an AAB degree in administrative office assistant from Muskingum Area Technical College and a bachelor of science degree in business management from the University of Findlay.

Her background includes experience in higher education and social services where she worked as an administrative assistant, job developer for persons with disabilities, academic advisor and educator on child abuse and neglect prevention.

Leckrone replaces Jill Miller who left OPA to relocate out of Ohio.

06/15/08

Wisconsin Legislative Day Used to Recognize Contributions

More than 180 pharmacists, technicians and pharmacy students participated in Legislative Day 2008 at Madison where legislators as well as members of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW) were recognized for their contributions to pharmacy in Wisconsin.

The Legislator of the Year award is presented to a member(s) of the legislature who has demonstrated a commitment to the practice of pharmacy, according to an article in the May/June Journal of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin. State Representative Leah Vukmir and state Senator Kathleen Vinehout received the 2008 award for their efforts and work with PSW.

The PSW Good Government award, presented to a member(s) of PSW who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the advancement of the practice of pharmacy in the legislative arena, went to Linda Willsey of Community Pharmacy in Madison, Bill Black, legal counsel to the pharmacy examining board and Aurora Pharmacy.

Kali Williams, current SPIN coordinator for the Wisconsin Society of Pharmacy Students at the UW School of Pharmacy, received the Student Good Government award for taking the initiative necessary to learn about legislative issues facing the profession of pharmacy and imparting that knowledge to the general membership.

06/09/08

ASHP Announces Thielke Winner of  John W. Webb Award

Thomas S. Thielke, MS, FASHP, a leader in pharmacy organizations who has contributed to numerous technological and clinical advancements in the pharmacy profession, has been named the 2008 recipient of the John W. Webb Lecture Award, according to an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) release.

Thielke is vice president of professional and support services at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics (UWHC) in Madison and a clinical professor at the UW School of Pharmacy. For nearly 20 years, he served as director of pharmacy at UWHC.

He has been at the forefront of advancements that include the development of a decentralized pharmacist/centralized unit dose system, the implementation of automated dispensing systems and use of clinical support systems and point-of-care technology, ASHP pointed out. Under his leadership, the UWHC pharmacy department built the internationally recognized Center for Drug Policy, which merges clinical drug evaluation with evidence-based, population-focused analysis.

An active member of pharmacy associations, Thielke is a past president of ASHP and a former chair of the ASHP house of delegates. He served as president of the Wisconsin Society of Health-System Pharmacists and is founder and a former chairman of the board of the Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin. Thielke also is a former president and vice president of the Hospital Pharmacists Section of the International Pharmaceutical Federation.

The Webb award honors health-system pharmacy practitioners or educators who stand apart from others because of their extraordinary dedication to fostering excellence in pharmacy management and leadership.

“As one of the most prominent and successful leaders in our profession, Thielke exemplifies the core characteristic upon which the John W. Webb Award is based: an unwavering commitment to excellence in health-system management,” said John R. Reynolds, PharmD, dean of the Northeastern University School of Pharmacy. “Equally important is his work involving the education and mentoring of students and residents as future leaders, innovations in practice through automation and the overall advancement of the profession in the United States and abroad. He is most deserving of this award.”

06/09/08

UMKC Pharmacy Students Honored

University of Missouri at Kansas City School of Pharmacy students were recognized recently at the annual Student Government Association’s (SGA) Leadership Recognition Banquet which invited over 275 UMKC student organizations to participate.

Nicole Stinner, third year, won the Best Council Leader award for her continuous support and dedication to Academy of Student Pharmacists (ASP) during her tenure at the school.

ASP won the award of Best Service Organization. This award goes to a student organization that spend at least 75 percent of its time together engaged in service to the campus or community. Students on both campuses have worked diligently to reach out to patients and improve their health literacy. In 2007, ASP won the Best Council award and in 2006 won Student Organization of the Year.

06/09/08

Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board

Timothy Boehmer, RPh, has been appointed a member of the Wisconsin Pharmacy Examining Board. That appointment will expire July 1, 2008.

06/09/08

Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy

Dorothy Neal Gourley, DPh, has been elected vice president of the Oklahoma State Board of Pharmacy.

06/09/08

Indiana Board of Pharmacy

Anika Calloway, JD, has been appointed a public member of the Indiana Board of Pharmacy. That appointment will expire July 1, 2010.

The Indiana board has elected William Cover, RPh, president; and Del Fanning, RPh, vice president.

06/09/08

Ohio Gains Recognition at APhA Annual Meeting

Several Ohio residents involved in the pharmacy field were recognized at the 2008 American Pharmacists Association (APhA) annual meeting earlier this year.

Charles J. Broussard, RPh, and Jennifer Rodis, PharmD, received the Academy of Pharmacy Practice and Management Merit Award(s). This award goes to individual pharmacy practitioners for singular, significant contributions to pharmacy practice, according to an article in the April 2008 Ohio Pharmacist.

Robert W. Brueggemeier, PhD, received the Tyler Prize for Stimulation of Research, which recognizes individuals for encouraging research via publications or by directing research, serving as a preceptor, or  mentoring in any discipline of the pharmaceutical sciences.

George H. Hinkle, RPh, BCNP, received the Daniel B. Smith Practice Excellence Award, which recognizes outstanding performance and achievements of a community practitioner who has distinguished himself and the profession of pharmacy in the community and professional setting.

Jenelle Sobotka, PharmaD, was recipient of the Kappa Epsilon (KE) Career Achievement Award. The award goes to a KE member for his/her professional accomplishments.

Andrea Hirsch, OSU class of 2008, was one of five student pharmacists to be recognized with a One to One Patient Counseling Recognition Award for her leadership and outstanding patient counseling skills.

06/09/08