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].

Pharmacist Henry So from Diamond's OPTICS clinical team makes his first repeat visit to the show for a discussion of monkeypox. We go over its origins, symptoms, transmission, and even the reason behind its unusual name. We also talk about the available vaccines and antiviral treatment options and what OPTICS is doing to help educate correctional healthcare partners about monkeypox.

Recording Date: 8/18/22

OPTICS pharmacist Chris Bender is back for a rundown of a some timely COVID-19 clinical topics. We discuss the Novavax vaccine, the anticipated rollout of fall booster shots, the use(or underuse)of Evusheld, the Paxlovid rebound, and more. Chris also takes a moment thoroughly go over all the current clinical guidance for booster shots.

Recorded 8.12.2022

Link to CDC guidance for booster shots:

www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html

On this episode, our very own Dr. Deborah Milito returns to talk her big election win as President Elect of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists. We talk about Deborah’s history with the ASCP and senior care pharmacy, the many professional opportunities ASCP provides pharmacists, and a few of Deborah’s visions for the presidency. And we also take a brief digression to discuss the recent FDA authorization allowing pharmacists to prescribe Paxlovid for COVID-19 patients.

Recording date: July 18, 2022

On June 23, 2022, Diamond Drugs CEO, President, and owner Mark Zilner will be inducted in the Indiana County Chamber of Commerce Business Hall of Fame for his contributions to the local economy and leadership in business.

Since joining his parents’ company over 30 years ago, Mark has helped Diamond grow from a largely local business into the nation’s largest correctional pharmacy provider and one of Pennsylvania’s largest long-term care pharmacies, and as a result of that growth- one of Indiana County’s largest employers.

Mark has also been instrumental in the creation of Sapphire Health, an electronic health record and medical records developer; RemedyRepack, an FDA-registered drug repackager, and InnovaScript, a mail-order retail pharmacy.

Business achievements aside, the Hall of Fame induction is also a big deal for Mark as he joins his parents, Gilbert and Joan Zilner, who were enshrined in the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class back in 2015.

On the occasion of this induction, we wanted to talk with Mark about his road to success ---why he chose to be a pharmacist, why he joined the family business, what motivates him as an entrepreneur, his visions for the future, and of course, so much more.

Recorded 5.18.2022

On this episode, Chris Bender of the OPTICS clinical pharmacy team breaks down recent developments surrounding the pneumococcal, Hepatitis B, and Shingles vaccines. We discuss the impact of new vaccines on the market for pneumococcal and Hepatitis B and how they compare with what’s already available. We also talk about the updated CDC recommendations for all three vaccines.

Recorded 4.28.2022

Links mentioned in the show:

ACIP adult immunization schedule:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/downloads/adult/adult-combined-schedule.pdf

Pneumococcal vaccine timing for adults:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/downloads/pneumo-vaccine-timing.pdf

PneumoRecs app:

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/vpd/pneumo/hcp/pneumoapp.html

From a tender age, OPTICS pharmacist Henry So recognized the difference that patient advocacy and education could make in healthcare outcomes. As the child of an immigrant family, Henry watched his diabetic father grapple with language barriers, rigid prescription guidelines, and uncomfortable side effects from medication as he struggled with the disease. In these difficult moments, Henry could see the need for a supportive intermediary to bridge the gap between prescriber and patient, and who could take a more patient-centered approach. And thanks to a chance encounter at a career fair, Henry realized that being a pharmacist could fill that role.

Now a practicing ambulatory care pharmacist with Diamond’s OPTICS team, Henry is proud to be a both an educator and an advocate for many of Diamond’s institutional patients. In this episode, Henry talks about his personal and professional journey into pharmacy and how his current role at Diamond has brought that journey full circle. If you’re a pharmacy student or a pharmacist looking at a different career direction, we think you’ll enjoy what Henry had to share with us.

On this episode, Chris Bender, clinical pharmacist with Diamond’s OPTICS team, gives us a rundown on the latest oral therapies for COVID-19 patients: paxlovid and molnupiravir. We look at how these therapies work, how they compare to existing COVID therapies like monoclonal antibodies, and what side effects and safety considerations they carry. And we also talk with Chris about the overall accessibility of these medications and how he’s seeing them utilized in corrections and long-term care.

Recorded on 2/18/2022.

Links mentioned in the discussion:

Paxlovid FDA Fact Sheet for Providers: www.fda.gov/media/155050/download

Molnupiravir FDA Fact Sheet for Providers: www.fda.gov/media/155054/download

ASPR COVID-19 Therapeutics Locator:

https://covid-19-therapeutics-locator-dhhs.hub.arcgis.com

COVID-19 Drug Interaction Checker, University of Liverpool:

www.covid19-druginteractions.org