Amanda R. Margolis

Impact of a medication therapy management intervention targeting medications associated with falling: Results of a pilot study

BACKGROUND The use of fall risk-increasing drugs (FRIDs) by older adults is one factor associated with falling, and FRID use is common among older adults. A targeted medication therapy management intervention focused on FRID use that included prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, along with follow-up telephone calls was designed. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this pilot study was to examine preliminary effects of a medication therapy management (MTM) intervention focused on FRIDs provided by a community pharmacist to older adults. DESIGN Randomized, controlled trial. SETTING One community pharmacy. PARTICIPANTS Eighty older adults who completed a fall prevention workshop. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The main outcome measures were the rate of discontinuing FRIDs, the proportion of older adults falling, and the number of falls. A secondary outcome was the acceptance rate of medication recommendations by patients and prescribers. RESULTS Thirty-eight older adults received the targeted MTM intervention. Of the 31 older adults using a FRID, a larger proportion in the intervention group had FRID use modified relative to controls (77% and 28%, respectively; P < 0.05). There were no significant changes between the study groups in the risk and rate of falling. Medication recommendations in the intervention group had a 75% acceptance rate by patients and prescribers. CONCLUSION A targeted MTM intervention provided by a community pharmacist and focused on FRID use among older adults was effective in modifying FRID use. This result supports the preliminary conclusion that community pharmacists can play an important role in modifying FRID use among older adults.

Impact and Application of Material Learned in a Pharmacy Residency Teaching Certificate Program

Objective. To describe the impact and application of material learned in a pharmacy resident teaching certificate program on the career experiences of alumni 1 to 11 years after completion of the program. Design. A teaching certificate program was established in 2001 that brought together residents from various training programs throughout Wisconsin to discuss essential educational skills in a dynamic learning environment. The purpose of the program was to teach participants the fundamental skills to continue to develop as a pharmacy educator throughout their career. Assessment. An electronic survey instrument was sent to alumni of the program. Greater than 70% of respondents agreed that the teaching certificate program reinforced their desire to teach in practice and that the program helped qualify them for their current or previous practice position. Alumni in academic positions more strongly agreed that the program changed their career interest to include academia and qualified them for their position in academia. Conclusions. A teaching certificate program can reinforce or stimulate interest among pharmacy residents in pursuing an academic career and prepare them for this role. Completion of the program led to a high level of confidence among the majority of alumni in their ability to precept students and residents and influenced some alumni involved in the hiring of pharmacists.

A telepharmacy intervention to improve inhaler adherence in veterans with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Patients’ adherence to medications for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is low, and many patients do not use their inhaler properly.[1][1],[2][2] Interventions to improve inhaler use in patients with COPD have yielded conflicting results and are difficult to compare as they use various