Transformational strategies for optimizing use of medications and related therapies through us pharmacists and pharmacies: Findings from a national study

Abstract

Setting Nonoptimized medication therapies (NOMTs) are associated with likely avoidable illnesses and mortality affecting millions of people and costing an estimated $528 billion per year in excess health spending in the United States. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic brought into focus barriers limiting the ability of U.S. pharmacists and pharmacies to provide services that can reduce NOMTs and improve U.S. population health. Objectives This National Science Foundation Center for Health Organization Transformation study explored potential strategies that U.S. pharmacists, pharmacies, and their partners could implement to reduce NOMTs while also delivering other forms of value to U.S. populations from 2021 to 2025 (during and after the COVID-19 pandemic). Design A panel of senior leaders representing the U.S. pharmacist and pharmacy sector participated in a 4-round Delphi process to identify unmet needs, barriers, change drivers, and priority strategies for meeting those needs. Data were gathered and analyzed by public health researchers, most of whom are outside the pharmacist and pharmacy sector. Results A comprehensive set of evidence-based strategies with potential to reduce NOMTs, protect and improve population health and well-being, and strengthen the sector were identified. Four transformational strategies were recommended: comprehensive payment and practice transformation, strengthening pharmacy data interoperability infrastructure, development of unifying measurement and management mechanisms, and development of a more robust national research infrastructure. Strengthening health equity was a cross-cutting strategy affecting all areas. Conclusion The results may be of interest to policy makers, pharmacists, pharmacies, physicians, nurses and other clinicians, pharmaceutical firms, plan sponsors, plans, health systems, clinics, aging care, digital technology companies, and others interested in optimizing outcomes from medications and related therapies for U.S. populations.

Barriers to Medication Review Process Implementation—Cross-Sectional Study among Community Pharmacists in Jordan

“…Emerging technologies, such as digital therapies, pharmacogenomics, precision medicine, and artificial intelligence-driven services, will require such infrastructures. In addition, the rising body of evidence suggests that embracing a paradigm change in data ownership and management, in which individuals play an increasingly central role in accessing, owning, and re-sharing their data across their lives, can lead to revolutionary progress [35].…”

An Assessment on the Carbon Footprint of a Football Club—an Action Research from Theory to Practice

“…Sports events can absorb a portion of air traffic given by supporters that travel to attend the events. Running a sports facility produces waste connected to spectators and daily maintenance, polluting the environment [8]. Therefore, sports organizations must understand the impacts of changing climate and how to reduce it in the future.…”

“…If sports organizations worldwide want to contribute to climate change action [17], they must first acknowledge their contribution to climate change and reduce their carbon footprint [18]. Thus, they need to know how much GHG emissions they produce and how much they can reduce [8].…”