CHICAGO—The pace of U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of oral anticancer medications has rapidly increased, from less than one a year at the turn of the century to 10 in 2018. While patients generally prefer taking oncolytics by mouth at home to intravenous...
DCVAMC Acting Pharmacy Chief Ivan Cephas: ‘Caring Is the Reason’
WASHINGTON—Ivan Cephas, PharmD, the acting chief of pharmacy at the DCVAMC, would be the first to say that what he does is not above and beyond the call of duty. Despite having been awarded the Bowl of Hygeia, one of the most prestigious pharmacy awards in the nation,...
New Military Pharmacy Program Frees Patients from Long Waits
More than a dozen military treatment facility pharmacies have implemented a pilot customer service system that gives patients greater control over how they spend their time while waiting for prescriptions to be filled.
New Venous Thromboembolism Guidelines Could Change Treatment at VA
Venous thromboembolism, which includes deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is the most common preventable cause of hospital death, according to the VA.
Use of Non-VHA Pharmacies Increases Risks of Scheduled Drug Overdoses
Using multiple sources to get prescribed pain medications and other Schedule II through V drugs increases risks for veterans, a new study finds.
Shared Antimicrobial Stewardship Surveillance System Saves Three VAMCs $2.3 Million
Three VAMCs that formed a collaborative group to optimize use of a shared clinical surveillance system saved more than $2.3 million in two years.
PhARMD Program Continues to Expand Pharmacists’ Clinical Role in VA
A tool developed by the VA has raised the profile of pharmacists as critical members of patient care teams at the VA, leading to a doubling of the number of pharmacists serving as providers.
Is It Time to Abandon One-Size-Fits-All Dosing for Antibiotics?
Increased obesity among veterans and the general population might be leading to more hospitalizations for infections and greater instance of failed treatment in patients who have been hospitalized.
VA Evaluates Form to Improve Function in Medication Labels
When time is of the essence, good design saves lives. That was the lesson of a recent experiment in Pittsburgh that tested whether anesthetist trainees would grab the right medication in a stressful simulated operating room scenario or make a potentially fatal mistake.
Better Retention and Outcomes With One Tablet Therapy for HIV Patients
Patients taking a single tablet to control HIV had better viral suppression and stayed in care at higher rates than patients who took multiple pills.
Demand surges for popular army clinical pharmacy course
With pharmacists from across the DoD and VA clamoring for spots in the Clinical Pharmacy Course at Army Medical Department Center and School (AMEDDCS) in Fort Sam Houston, TX, organizers offered back-to-back programs this spring, with another scheduled for August.
EMR Alert Helps Reduce Opioid/Benzodiazepine Co-Prescribing Risk at VAMCs
Since the launch of the Opioid Safety Initiative in 2012, the VA has implemented a number of steps designed to reduce the use of opioids and the risk of addiction and overdose among veterans.
VA Takes the Lead to Prevent Spread of Multi Drug-Resistant Organisms
The VA is leveraging its position as the country’s largest integrated healthcare system to slow the development and spread of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDRO).
Military E-Prescriptions Exceed 50% Goal Set Three Years Ago
FALLS CHURCH, VA — As of January 2018, 54% of prescriptions filled by MTFs were submitted electronically, exceeding the initial goal of 50% set when the e-prescribing program first rolled out three years ago.
San Diego Revises Alert System in Wake of Administration of Compromised Flu Vaccine
In the fall, failure of a pharmacy refrigerator and its monitoring system resulted in 1,540 veterans and staff receiving potentially ineffective shots.
Shortage of Supplies Might Have Delayed Medical Procedures at VAMCs
In response to complaints that clinicians at VAMCs lack adequate medical and surgical products to care for veterans, VA conceded it needs to make its product formulary more robust.