PodcastRx

With the legalization of medical marijuana and the growing popularity of over-the-counter CBD oil, many older adults are turning to these cannabis cousins to treat a variety of ailments. But what does the research say about their efficacy? And what risks might be associated with them? To help answer these and other questions, we turned to Erica Gray, Pharm. D. She’s a pharmacist in the Diamond Drug Information Center and, as you’ll learn in the episode, something of their resident expert on medical marijuana and CBD. We delve into basic pharmacology, clinical concerns, use in the long-term care world, and much more.

Some articles referenced in the show, plus recommendations for further reading:

https://www.wolterskluwercdi.com/blog/cbd-oil-and-medical-marijuana-pharmacists-need-know-high-points/

https://www.forbes.com/sites/howardgleckman/2019/09/18/psychedelics-and-seniors-can-drugs-such-as-marijuana-and-psilocybin-improve-their-quality-of-life/#12b96f3b76f9

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/health/seniors-marijuana-cannabis-pain.html

https://www.drugtopics.com/cannabidiol-cbd/cbd-products-confusion-hype-and-hope

https://health.usnews.com/wellness/articles/2018-03-01/what-is-cbd-oil-and-should-you-use-it

https://health.usnews.com/health-care/patient-advice/articles/2018-03-16/medical-marijuana-for-older-adults

https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2019/08/26/dea-announces-steps-necessary-improve-access-marijuana-research

Chris Cicuto, Pharm. D. has been with Diamond just four-and-a-half years, starting his career in the Drug Information Center before taking on the role of consultant pharmacist for correctional facilities in several states. His relatively fresh perspectives on correctional medicine and consulting made him an ideal guest for the show.

In this episode, Chris gives us plenty of insight into building relationships at all levels of the corrections care team, the challenges of applying clinical precepts in a practical manner, and the pharmacists place in delivering both cost –effective and quality-driven care. It’s an easy-going conversation that covers plenty of ground, and we hope you enjoy it.

In this episode, we speak with Chris Bender, Pharm. D. about medication assisted treatment (MAT) of opioid addiction. Chris guides us through the clinical, controversial, and corrections-focused aspects of MAT. If you don't know methadone from suboxone, you'll want to listen.

Chris Bender, Pharm. D. is a pharmacist with the Diamond Drug Information Center.

Links to articles referenced in this episode:

"Opioid Crisis Fast Facts" via CNN:

https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/health/opioid-crisis-fast-facts/index.html

"Opioid Overdose Crisis", via the National Institutes of Health

https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugs-abuse/opioids/opioid-overdose-crisis

"NH to start offering Suboxone treatments in prisons", via the New Hampshire Union Leader

https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/nh-to-start-offering-suboxone-treatment-in-prisons/article_c3804a69-865e-5c93-93e1-c87a6a541b9f.html

"There’s a highly successful treatment for opioid addiction. But stigma is holding it back", via Vox

https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/7/20/15937896/medication-assisted-treatment-methadone-buprenorphine-naltrexone

Lauren Lichtenfels, Pharm. D. is a true homegrown talent at Diamond, starting with the company as a pill packer before ultimately joining the staff as a production and compounding pharmacist. We learn all about this professional journey and get a glimpse into her daily life as a pharmacist on this short, but sweet episode of PodcastRx.

On this episode, we sit down with Nick McFerron, a sales representative for our long-term care division. Nick was an EMT who started working at Diamond in the marketing department before transitioning to sales. We chat about his professional journey, get a glimpse into building relationships with potential clients, learn how technology is impacting pharmacy delivery in personal care and assisted living communities, and find out how his EMT training has come full circle in his role with Diamond.

For the past 15 years, the Diamond Educational Conferences have given long-term care professionals in Pennsylvania and Ohio the chance to earn free continuing education credit from courses taught primarily by Diamond personnel.

This episode is an informal and immersive look at one of those conferences. We brought our microphones to record live at the Ohio Educational Conference in October of 2018. We interviewed several conference speakers about their presentation topics(such as elder abuse and dementia care) and their thoughts on the conferences overall. We also spoke with a few attendees to capture their conference experiences.

Oh, and the conference was held at the Columbus Zoo. So there's plenty mentions of animals too.

For our debut episode, we sat down with Deborah Milito, Pharm. D. She is the Director of Clinical and Consultant Services for the Skilled Division of Diamond, as well as the chief antimicrobial stewardship officer for the company. She has long career in clinical pharmacy, with experience in acute care, correctional and long-term care settings.

Given Deborah’s title and professional affiliations, you can safely assume that antibiotic and antimicrobial stewardship was a big part of our conversation with her. We also delved into infection control, IMPACT act compliance, and her preparation for the then-upcoming ASCP national meeting in November 2018.