Pharmacist’s Role in Dispensing Opioids for Acute and Chronic Pain

2011 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 497-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen F. Marlowe ◽  
Richard Geiler
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Family Relationships ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
The Impact

Pain continues to be a serious health care concern in the United States. Patients with chronic pain experience the impact of the disease throughout their lives including their social interactions, family relationships, and in many cases economic productivity. Multiple surveys have found that many pharmacists hold misconceptions regarding opioids, pain disease states, and their understandings of current regulations. Multiple barriers affect the ability of pharmacists to deliver care to patients' prescribed opioid therapy. Inadequate communication between health care professionals and patients is one of the hurdles, which prevents quality care. Increased communication between health care providers including access to health information is one step, which is crucial to improving provision of pharmacotherapy. Finally, the quality of educational opportunities relative to opioids and pain management specifically for pharmacists needs to be increased, and consideration needs to be given for making appropriate pain management education mandatory.

The Use of and Attitude Towards Telehealth in Rural Communities

2007 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Mauldon
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Primary Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Routine Practice ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Urban Hospital ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rural Patients

This paper reports on the attitudes of a sample of health care providers towards the use of telehealth to support rural patients and integrate rural primary health and urban hospital care. Telehealth and other information technologies hold the promise of improving the quality of care for people in rural and remote areas and for supporting rural primary health care providers. While seemingly beneficial for rural patients, study participants believed that telehealth remains underused and poorly integrated into their practice. In general, participants thought that telehealth is potentially beneficial but places constraints on their activities, and few actually used it. Published literature usually reports either on the success of telehealth pilot projects or initiatives that are well resourced and do not reflect the constraints of routine practice, or has an international focus limiting its relevance to the Australian context. Because of the paucity of systematic and generalisable research into the effects of the routine use of telehealth to support rural patients, it is unclear why health care professionals choose to provide such services or the costs and benefits they incur in doing so. Research and policy initiatives continue to be needed to identify the impact of telehealth within the context of Australian primary health care and to develop strategies to support its use.

Improving Medication Management by Understanding Patient and Caregiver Preferences for Medication Packaging

2020 ◽  
Vol 35 (10) ◽  
pp. 446-464
Author(s):  
Joshua Chou ◽  
Merton Lee ◽  
Taylor Kaminsky ◽  
Tarlan Namvar ◽  
Catherine E. Cooke ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Medication Management ◽  
The United States ◽  
Community Dwelling ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Font Size ◽  
Visual Appearance ◽  
June July

OBJECTIVE: To assess older adults' perceptions and preferences when comparing multi-medication packaging products.<br/> DESIGN: Qualitative study involving focus group interviews (FGIs) and key informant interviews (KIIs).<br/> SETTING: Interviews were conducted in multiple cities within the United States during June-July 2019.<br/> PATIENTS, PARTICIPANTS: FGI participants (N=36) included community dwelling adults, 65 years of age or older, who took 5+ chronic medications, or their caregivers. KII participants (N=15) included health care professionals caring for similar populations.<br/> INTERVENTIONS: Participants were given samples of blister packs and pouches and asked about medication management and appearance and usability of medication packaging. Interviews were audio-recorded with participants' consent, then transcribed and coded using Atlas. ti. Recurrent and emergent themes were identified, and selected quotes served as examples of identified themes.<br/> MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Participants' perceptions regarding medication packaging.<br/> RESULTS: Participants' preferences varied for different multi-medication packaging systems. Similarly, most FGI participants did not communicate a strong attitude for or against their existing management systems. However, many FGI participants perceived a need for larger font size than seen on the either of the multimedication packaging samples. KII participants also preferred a larger font size on both packagings. KII participants thought the blister packs offered better visual organization and enabled caregivers to quickly assess adherence. However, KII participants expressed concern about integrating as-needed and short-term use medications and noted difficulty opening both types of packages.<br/> CONCLUSION: Visual appearance is important to both patients and health care providers. Continued research in this area is vital for tailoring packaging types and technology to patients.

scholarly journals Pain Management Best Practices from Multispecialty Organizations During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Public Health Crises

Pain Medicine ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1331-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven P Cohen ◽  
Zafeer B Baber ◽  
Asokumar Buvanendran ◽  
Brian C McLean ◽  
Yian Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Pain Management ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Risk Mitigation ◽  
Health Administration ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
Management Services

Abstract Background It is nearly impossible to overestimate the burden of chronic pain, which is associated with enormous personal and socioeconomic costs. Chronic pain is the leading cause of disability in the world, is associated with multiple psychiatric comorbidities, and has been causally linked to the opioid crisis. Access to pain treatment has been called a fundamental human right by numerous organizations. The current COVID-19 pandemic has strained medical resources, creating a dilemma for physicians charged with the responsibility to limit spread of the contagion and to treat the patients they are entrusted to care for. Methods To address these issues, an expert panel was convened that included pain management experts from the military, Veterans Health Administration, and academia. Endorsement from stakeholder societies was sought upon completion of the document within a one-week period. Results In these guidelines, we provide a framework for pain practitioners and institutions to balance the often-conflicting goals of risk mitigation for health care providers, risk mitigation for patients, conservation of resources, and access to pain management services. Specific issues discussed include general and intervention-specific risk mitigation, patient flow issues and staffing plans, telemedicine options, triaging recommendations, strategies to reduce psychological sequelae in health care providers, and resource utilization. Conclusions The COVID-19 public health crisis has strained health care systems, creating a conundrum for patients, pain medicine practitioners, hospital leaders, and regulatory officials. Although this document provides a framework for pain management services, systems-wide and individual decisions must take into account clinical considerations, regional health conditions, government and hospital directives, resource availability, and the welfare of health care providers.

Critical Challenges and Impediments Affecting Rural Physicians During a Public Health Emergency

2012 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 342-348 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin J. Putzer ◽  
Mirka Koro-Ljungberg ◽  
R. Paul Duncan
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Associated Factors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Public Health Emergency ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Rural Physicians

ABSTRACTObjective: Disaster preparedness has become a health policy priority for the United States in the aftermath of the anthrax attacks, 9/11, and other calamities. It is important for rural health care professionals to be prepared for a bioterrorist attack or other public health emergency. We sought to determine the barriers impeding rural physicians from being prepared for a human-induced disaster such as a bioterrorist attack.Methods: This study employed a qualitative methodology using key informant interviews followed by grounded theory methods for data analysis. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 6 physicians in the state of Florida from federally designated rural areas.Results: The interview participants articulated primary barriers and the associated factors contributing to these barriers that may affect rural physician preparedness for human-induced emergencies. Rural physicians identified 3 primary barriers: accessibility to health care, communication between physicians and patients, and rural infrastructure and resources. Each of these barriers included associated factors and influences. For instance, according to our participants, access to care was affected by a lack of health insurance, a lack of finances for health services, and transportation difficulties.Conclusions: Existing rural organizational infrastructure and resources are insufficient to meet current health needs owing to a number of factors including the paucity of health care providers, particularly medical specialists, and the associated patient-level barriers. These barriers presumably would be exacerbated in the advent of a human-induced public health emergency. Thus, strategically implemented health policies are needed to mitigate the barriers identified in this study.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2012;6:342–348)

scholarly journals The Affordable Care Act: Where Are We Now? An NCCN Roundtable

2014 ◽  
Vol 12 (5S) ◽  
pp. 745-747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christian G. Downs ◽  
Liz Fowler ◽  
Michael Kolodziej ◽  
Lee H. Newcomer ◽  
Mohammed S. Ogaily ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Affordable Care Act ◽  
The United States ◽  
Annual Conference ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
The Affordable Care Act ◽  
Oncology Practice ◽  
The Impact

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) is a transformational event for health care in the United States, with multiple impacts on health care, the economy, and society. Oncologists and other health care providers are already experiencing many changes—direct and indirect, anticipated and unanticipated. A distinguished and diverse panel assembled at the NCCN 19th Annual Conference to discuss the early phase of implementation of the ACA. The roundtable touched on early successes and stumbling blocks; the impact of the ACA on contemporary oncology practice and the new risk pool facing providers, payers, and patients; and some of the current and future challenges that lie ahead for all.

Problem and Pathological Gambling: A Consumer Perspective

CNS Spectrums ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 48-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura M. Letson
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Services ◽  
Public Awareness ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Compulsive Gambling ◽  
Care Services ◽  
Consumer Perspective ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe growth of gambling across the United States over the past decade has created significant difficulties for pathological gamblers. The rise in problem gambling, coupled with an increasing strain on social and health care services for treatment of gamblers and their families, has resulted in an urgent need for innovative interventions that target patients, health care providers, educational institutions, government, media, and the gambling industry. This article describes the impact of gambling from a consumer-protection perspective, and offers approaches to promoting public awareness of compulsive gambling as a pervasive problem that affects multiple areas of society.

scholarly journals Exploring Healthcare Professionals' Use of Narrative Mediation Approaches to Address Disclosure and Apology in the Aftermath of Medical Errors

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 24
Author(s):  
Gerald Monk ◽  
Stacey Sinclair ◽  
Michael Nelson
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Medical Errors ◽  
Narrative Analysis ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Health Care Systems ◽  
The United States ◽  
Cultural Barriers ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Systems

Despite the overwhelming evidence that suggests that patients, families and health care systems benefit from offering appropriate disclosures and apologies to patients and families following the aftermath of medical errors, few health care organizations in the U.S. invest in providing systemic training in disclosure and apology. Using a narrative analysis this paper explores the cultural barriers in the United States healthcare environment that impede health care providers from engaging in restorative conversations with patients and families when things go wrong. The paper identifies a handful of programs and models that provide disclosure and apology training and argues for the unique contributions of narrative mediation to assist health care professionals to disclose adverse events to patients and families to restore trust.

scholarly journals Improving Behavioral Health Equity through Cultural Competence Training of Health Care Providers

2019 ◽  
Vol 29 (Supp2) ◽  
pp. 359-364 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian McGregor ◽  
Allyson Belton ◽  
Tracey L. Henry ◽  
Glenda Wrenn ◽  
Kisha B. Holden
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Cultural Competence ◽  
Integrated Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
Ethnic Disparities ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Care Needs

 Racial/ethnic disparities have long persisted in the United States despite concerted health system efforts to improve access and quality of care among African Americans and Latinos. Cultural competence in the health care setting has been recognized as an important feature of high-quality health care delivery for decades and will continue to be paramount as the society in which we live becomes increasingly culturally diverse. Unfortunately, there is limited empirical evidence of patient health benefits of a culturally competent health care workforce in integrated care, its feasibility of imple­mentation, and sustainability strategies. This article reviews the status of cultural competence education in health care, the merits of continued commitment to training health care providers in integrated care settings, and policy and practice strategies to ensure emerging health care professionals and those already in the field are prepared to meet the health care needs of racially and ethnically diverse populations. Ethn Dis. 2019;29(Supp 2):359-364. doi:10.18865/ed.29.S2.359

Health providers’ perspectives on medical marijuana use.

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (31_suppl) ◽  
pp. 235-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Diana Martins-Welch ◽  
Christian Nouryan ◽  
Myriam Kline ◽  
Sony Modayil
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Chronic Pain ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Prescription Drugs ◽  
Medical Marijuana ◽  
The United States ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Opioid Use ◽  
Cord Injury

235 Background: According to the CDC, 117 million Americans have one or more chronic health conditions and 31% have used two or more prescription drugs in the past month. Approximately 40% of adults in the United States are using some form of Complementary and Alternative Medicine. Medical marijuana is one such medicine, and to date 29 states have legalized medical marijuana. Methods: A multicenter, anonymous, on-line survey of health care providers was distributed via e-mail within a large health system in the NY Metropolitan area. The survey was distributed in April and May of 2017. The specific aim was to collect information about health care providers’ perspectives on the use of MM in general and for specific medical conditions. Results: The sample (n = 137) consisted of 4% RNs, 10% NPs, 10% fellows, 21% resident physicians, and 52% attending physicians. Average experience was 13 years (range: 0-43), half (53%) were under 40 years old and just over half (56%) were female. Most practitioners recognized a benefit of MM for the treatment of cancer-associated symptoms, few were concerned with side effects and 5% of responders answered that MM was not appropriate at any stage of illness. Responders were “most likely to recommend or refer MM if other therapies were not effective” for cancer (83%), chronic pain (68%), spinal cord injury with spasticity (50%), MS (46%), epilepsy (42%), neuropathy (42%) and Parkinson’s disease (41%). Most providers (77%) believed that MM has the potential to reduce overall opioid use, this was found to be statistically more common in younger providers. The most common conditions that providers reported their patients were requesting MM for were cancer (37%), chronic pain (26%) and neuropathy (10%). The most common concerns about MM use were side effects (16%), addiction (13%), legal consequences (11%), cost (7%) and that other providers would judge MM use (7%). Conclusions: Our survey shows that providers are overwhelmingly in support of MM use in patients with chronic illness, particularly in cancer patients. However providers describe significant and practical concerns about MM utilization. Given the rate at which MM is being legalized throughout the country, it is imperative that there be increased focus on education and clinical studies on MM.

scholarly journals Perspectives on the COVID-19 pandemic impact on cardio-oncology: results from the COVID-19 International Collaborative Network survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Diego Sadler ◽  
◽  
Jeanne M. DeCara ◽  
Joerg Herrmann ◽  
Anita Arnold ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Care Providers ◽  
Care Delivery ◽  
The United States ◽  
Medical Professional ◽  
Collaborative Network ◽  
Care Providers ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Professional Societies ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Re-allocation of resources during the COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in delays in care delivery to patients with cardiovascular disease and cancer. The ability of health care providers to provide optimal care in this setting has not been formally evaluated. Objectives To assess the impact of COVID-19 resource re-allocation on scheduling, testing, elective procedures, telemedicine access, use of new COVID-19 therapies, and providers’ opinions on healthcare policies among oncology and cardiology practitioners. Methods An electronic survey was conducted by a cardio-oncology collaborative network through regional and state chapters of the American College of Cardiology, American Society of Clinical Oncology, and the International Cardio-Oncology Society. Descriptive statistics were reported by frequency and proportion for analyses, and stratified categorically by geographic region and specialty. Results One thousand four hundred fifteen providers (43 countries) participated: 986 cardiologists, 306 oncologists, and 118 trainees/internal medicine. 63% (195/306) of oncologists vs 92% (896/976) of cardiologists reported cancellations of treatments/elective procedures (p = 0.01). 46% (442/970) of cardiologists and 25% (76/303) of oncologists modified the scope of their practice (p = < 0.001). Academic physicians (74.5%) felt better supplied with personal protective equipment (PPE) vs non-academic (74.5% vs 67.2%; p = 0.018). Telemedicine was less common in Europe 81% (74/91), and Latin America 64% (101/158), than the United States, 88% (950/1097) (p = < 0.001). 95% of all groups supported more active leadership from medical professional societies. Conclusions These results support initiatives to promote expanded coverage for telemedicine, increased access to PPE, better testing availability and involvement of medical professional societies to help with preparedness for future health care crisis.

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