PodcastRx

On this bonus episode of PodcastRx, we're joined by Deborah Milito, Diamond’s director of clinical and consultant services for the long-term care division, for a quick and concise conversation about psychotropic stewardship. Deborah explains the CMS regulatory reasons behind her recent focus in this area, what psychotropic medications are of interest to CMS surveyors, and what ideal psychotropic stewardship looks like in the long-term care setting. We also talk about the strategies that Diamond consultant pharmacists use to promote effective psychotropic stewardship for client facilities.

With our many previous discussions about opioid-related topics on this show, it was given that OPTICS pharmacist Chris Bender would return to discuss the latest news surrounding the over-the-counter approval of Narcan nasal spray. We look at how naloxone products work, why 4 mg NARCAN nasal spray in particular was chosen for OTC status, concerns over costs and accessibility, and what the designation means for destigmatizing Narcan use. And we have some fun at the end by talking about what additional medications we’d like to see get the OTC treatment.

Mentioned in the Show/Further Reading:

Narcan Educational Resources:

https://www.narcan.com/healthcare-professionals/narcan-educational-kit-form/

https://www.narcan.com/public-service-educational-kit-form

Next Distro:

https://nextdistro.org/pachoice

"How Over-the-Counter Narcan Can Help Reverse Opioid Overdoses" - Scientific American

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-over-the-counter-narcan-can-help-reverse-opioid-overdoses/

"Emergent’s Statement on Over-the-Counter Access, Availability and Pricing of NARCAN® Naloxone HCl Nasal Spray 4 mg"

https://www.emergentbiosolutions.com/media-statement/emergents-statement-on-over-the-counter-access-availability-and-pricing-of-narcan-naloxone-hcl-nasal-spray-4-mg/

OPTICS clinical pharmacists Chris Bender and Nancy Chia stop by to give a sneak preview of their upcoming presentations at the NCCHC Spring Conference on correctional healthcare. We find out what topics they're focusing on, the novel ways they're presenting the information, and what they hope attendees will take away from the conference. We also discuss the opportunities that presenting at NCCHC provides for clinical pharmacists, and what Chris and Nancy are most looking forward to during their trip to New Orleans.

As heard in the show:

NCCHC Conference Information:

https://events.ncchc.org/spring-conference/2617224

Link to Chris and Nancy's Webinars:

www.diamondpharmacy.com/watch-full-optics-webinars-for-ncchc/

Before John Crupie became a pharmacist supervisor for Diamond, he spent nearly 30 years ascending the heights of retail pharmacy management with Kmart. With his many years working for a big chain, John was the perfect guest to discuss the ongoing pharmacist shortage plaguing retail pharmacies across the country. We get John’s thoughts on the systemic factors driving the phenomenon and what possibly can be done to keep pharmacists from fleeing retail positions. We also talk about John’s fascinating professional journey, how his current job compares to his old one, and the workplace factors that make Diamond a great destination for pharmacists.

Mentioned in the Show:

"American Pharmacists Association on move to cut pharmacy hours"

https://pharmacist.com/APhA-Press-Releases/american-pharmacists-association-on-move-to-cut-pharmacy-hours

On this special two-part episode, clinical pharmacist supervisor Zane Gray and pharmacist Chris Bender from the OPTICS team join us for a look at drug shortages and the Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act.

In part 1, Zane discusses some of the current shortages of prescription and over the counter drugs affecting Diamond customers, the factors behind these shortages, and how Diamond ultimately helps clients and patients to work through them.

And in part 2, Chris lays out the tenets of the recently passed Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act, how it changes buprenorphine prescribing for opioid use disorder, and what positive effects the act could have on medication assisted treatment programs in the correctional environment.

Recording Dates: 1/30 and 1/31/2023

Mentioned in the Show/Further Reading:

"The Mainstreaming Addiction Treatment Act: A historic reform."

www.endsud.org/mat-act-history

"NCCHC Hails Passage of MAT Act to Prevent Overdoses and Support Recovery"

www.ncchc.org/ncchc-hails-passage-of-mat-act-to-prevent-overdoses-and-support-recovery/

"Maine’s Prisons Taught Washington a Crucial Lesson in Fighting Opioids"

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2023/01/08/maines-prisons-opioids-00076822?_ga=2.63826730.486483318.1673281616-1414629604.1579021963

"Behind Bars II: Substance Abuse and America’s Prison Population"

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED509000.pdf

"Study Shows Easing Access to Methadone Helps Patients with Opioid Use Disorder"

www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/articles/2023/01/12/study-shows-easing-access-to-methadone-helps-patients-with-opioid-use-disorder

On this episode, we welcome SapphireHealth Sales and Implementation Coordinator Nikki Tuskey and Lead Architect and developer Geff Caruso. When Diamond Pharmacy decided to develop corrections-focused eMAR and EHR software over a decade ago, Nikki and Geff were there at the ground level. Our conversation goes back to those early days to learn about the people and processes instrumental in building Sapphire into a reliable and trusted tool of correctional health professionals. We also discuss the impact that Sapphire can have on a facility’s healthcare program and why an effective EHR is much more than just the software.

Learn more at www.sapphire-health.com.

We welcome back OPTICS clinical pharmacist Christopher Bender to talk about the rising popularity of GLP-1 agonists - semaglutide in particular. We talk about these drugs profound impact on diabetes and weight loss management and how drugs like Ozempic have become in-demand among celebrities and social media influencers. Of course, we also cover the basics: How they work, safety concerns, prescribing guidelines and much more. And along the way, we also uncover a surprising connection to Gila Monster venom.

Recording Date: December 21, 2022

On this episode, Henry So of the OPTICS clinical team stops by to address questions related to transgender patient care. We discuss the steps pharmacists can take to optimize care for transgender patients, take a closer look at available hormone therapies, and talk about common questions that Henry and his OPTICS colleagues receive from providers.

Recording Date: 10/31/2022

Further reading:

Transgender and Gender Diverse Health Care in Correctional Settings (2020)

https://www.ncchc.org/transgender-and-gender-diverse-health-care-in-correctional-settings-2020/

Guidelines for the Primary and Gender-Affirming Care of Transgender and Gender Nonbinary People

https://transcare.ucsf.edu/guidelines

RN consultant and nurse practitioner Debbie Yackuboskey returns for a quick discussion of influenza. We explore the expected severity of the upcoming flu season, review the available vaccines, dive into vaccine hesitancy, and discuss the ultimate protections afforded by an annual flu shot.

Link to "2022 National Survey: Attitudes about Influenza and Pneumococcal Disease, and the Impacts of COVID-19":

https://www.nfid.org/about-nfid/newsroom/news-conferences/2022-nfid-influenza-pneumococcal-disease-news-conference/2022-national-survey-attitudes-about-influenza-and-pneumococcal-disease-and-the-impacts-of-covid-19/

Recording Date: 10.26.22

On this episode, we welcome OPTICS clinical pharmacist supervisor Zane Gray and special guest Mitchell Tonkin to the show. Mitch is in his final year of pharmacy school at Duquesne University and had the opportunity to intern with Zane and the OPTICS clinical team. We talk to Mitch about his formative pharmacy experiences, what makes Duquesne University a great pharmacy school, and of course, what he learned on rotation at Diamond. And we get Zane’s perspectives on how a Diamond Pharmacy internship is designed to make you a better pharmacist and provide healthy doses of real-world pharmacy experience.

On a special note, we recorded this episode during Mitch’s final week on rotation here. We’d like to wish him the very best as he moves forward in his pharmacy education and career.

For more information about pharmacy internships with Diamond, please reach out to Zane Gray, [email protected].