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.
Army Pharmacy Finds Shorter Hours Reduces Wait Times
The pharmacy team at McDonald Army Health Center (MCAHC) on Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia had a common problem—longer than desired wait times for patients to pick up prescriptions.
Severe Side Effects Rare in Elderly Veterans Receiving High Dose Influenza Vaccine
Patients over the age of 65 face an increased risk of severe complications and death if they contract influenza.
Altus AFB Pharmacy Speeds Care With Cold and Flu Packs
The program not only saves time, it also is saving money.
Mail Order Pharmacy Policies Put Nearly Half of Veterans with HIV at Risk of Missing Doses
By Annette M. Boyle MADISON, WI—Antiretroviral medications have transformed HIV from a death sentence into a chronic disease, but the drugs’ effectiveness depends on rigorous adherence to sometimes-complex regimens. For veterans with HIV, adherence is often made...
Phoenix VA Partners With CVS MinuteClinic to Provide In-Pharmacy Healthcare
When CVS Health became an authorized provider under the Veterans Choice Program, several VAMCs considered using the company’s retail medical clinic, MinuteClinic, to help relieve long waits and offer routine medical services nearer to veterans’ homes.
VA Study: CV Risks Lower in Patients Taking NSAID, Misoprostol Combo
Use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) drugs has been linked to a higher risk of cardiovascular issues, but a new study offers a possible way to mitigate that factor.
Veterans Choice Program Increases Burden on VA Pharmacists
The Veterans Access, Choice and Accountability Act in 2014 allows veterans to receive covered care and prescriptions from non-VA providers in a variety of situations.
Opioid Safety Initiative Drives Down Prescriptions for High-Dose Painkillers
Thanks to a national initiative begun at the VHA in 2013, fewer veterans are receiving prescriptions for risky dosages of opioid painkillers.
VA Action Stabilizes Prescription Costs for Veterans
Late last month, the VA introduced a tiered pharmacy benefit designed to decrease the cost of outpatient medications for most veterans.
Army Pharmacy Pilots New Service Model at Four Sites
Four Army pharmacy sites have taken the lead in shifting the patient experience from a transactional paradigm to a service-oriented model the Army hopes to replicate across all facilities.
Wider Use of Biosimilars Promise Significant Savings for VA
Even as biologics offer new options for patients suffering from a wide range of diseases today, their steep prices pose a significant challenge to healthcare system budgets.
Refill Synchronization Significantly Improves Adherence Among Some Groups
As every pharmacist and physician knows, medications only work if patients take them as prescribed—and increasing consistent adherence remains one of the biggest challenges in medicine.
Pharmacists Play Big Role in More-Restrictive IHS Opioid Prescribing Rules
By Annette M. Boyle ROCKVILLE, MD—This summer, the Indian Health Service (IHS) instituted new rules for pharmacists and providers designed to reduce abuse and overuse of opioids, making it one of the first agencies to directly address the burgeoning rates of addiction...
VA Clinical Pharmacists Have Broader Scope, Better-Than-Average Pay
According to job site Glassdoor, clinical pharmacists in the U.S. make about $113,000 on average. At the VA, they do a little better, averaging nearly $115,000, based on salaries reported to the site.
Patients Flip (Ratings) Over Robotic Efficiency at Cherry Point Pharmacy
CHERRY POINT, NC—Prior to a renovation late last year, patients at Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point’s pharmacy left negative feedback twice as often as positive. Installation of a robotic pharmacy system reversed those numbers, however. Today, two-thirds of comments are upbeat.
Misuse of E-Prescription Notes Delays Pharmacists, Could Harm Patients
HOUSTON — Pharmacists consult the free-text “Notes” field in ambulatory electronic prescriptions (e-prescriptions) for patient and dispensing information that physicians cannot communicate elsewhere.
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