From maintaining a near-encyclopedic knowledge of potentially harmful drug interactions to easing the worries of first-time medication takers, pharmacists play a vital role in modern medical care. In honor of the many contributions pharmacists make to communities nationwide, the American Pharmacists Association has dubbed October American Pharmacists Month. The goal of American Pharmacists Month is to recognize the commitment that … Read More
DEA reschedules hydrocodone medications
The federal government has placed new restrictions on the prescribing of medications containing the opioid hydrocodone. Effective Oct. 6, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) has published a final rule reclassifying hydrocodone combination products (HCPs), defined as medications combining hydrocodone and another drug, from Schedule III to the more restrictive Schedule II. The proposed rule follows the recommendation of a … Read More
Genelex honored in 2014 Tech Impact Awards
Genelex’s progress toward eliminating adverse drug events has been honored by Seattle Business magazine with a 2014 Tech Impact Award. At the September 18 awards event, Genelex was given the silver award in the health category of the magazine’s 2014 Tech Impact Awards. Genelex joins both small and large tech luminaries, including Microsoft and T-Mobile, in being recognized as … Read More
New rule offers providers Meaningful Use flexibility
Health care providers have been granted a bit of flexibility in how they use certified electronic health records (EHR) technology in meeting federal Meaningful Use requirements for 2014. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have announced that providers will be allowed to use EHR technology certified to 2011 Meaningful Use standards to meet Stage-2 requirements, but for 2014 … Read More
Study finds opioid use common amongst disabled Medicare recipients
A recent study illuminates the prevalence of opioid painkiller use in a particularly vulnerable population: disabled Americans on Social Security disability insurance. The article, published in the September edition of the journal Medical Care, found the percentage of Social Security disability insurance (SSDI) recipients younger than 65 receiving any amount of opioid prescriptions rose from 43.9 percent in 2007 to … Read More
Meaningful Use requirements linked to fewer adverse drug events
The use of health information technology enhancements, such as clinical decision support tools, can help reduce adverse drug events (ADEs) in hospitals by between 27.3 and 69.2 percent, according to a recently released study of Florida hospitals. The research scrutinizes what impact Meaningful Use (MU) requirements for implementing electronic health records (EHR) systems had on patient care, and the results … Read More
Study: Elderly patients at greater risk of kidney injury if on antipsychotic drugs
New research into the risks of three common antipsychotic drugs for the elderly suggests older patients are 73 percent more likely to experience acute kidney injury (AKI) while on any of the three medications. The research, published in the August 19 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine, examined the medical records of nearly 100,000 adults 65 and older who … Read More
TCAPP and Genelex: Partners in battling pediatric pain
It’s tragic when a young life is haunted by the specter of a disease that causes chronic pain. Such afflictions affect child and family both, making the availability of caregiver resources all the more vital. Since 2011, The Coalition Against Pediatric Pain (TCAPP) has been supporting families of children affected by chronic pain from rare diseases and has brought many … Read More
Participating in life again: A patient story of pediatric pain
Barbara Granoff, Founding Member of The Coalition Against Pediatric Pain (TCAPP), says her 15-year-old daughter’s life was changed by the DNA drug sensitivity testing Genelex offers. Shira is living with Ehlers Danlos Syndrome as well as dysautonomia, gastroparesis, Mast Cell Activation Disorder and more. “The amount of medications we tried in hopes of controlling the pain is mind boggling,” mother … Read More
Can the Marriage of Pharmacogenetics and EHRs Solve Adoption Problems?
Don’t be intimidated by the idea of starting to use pharmacogenetics in your clinic – the tools you need may already be at your disposal. The New England Healthcare Institute states that medication management tools such as pharmacogenetic testing can help reduce readmissions and prevent costly adverse drug events. After all, a 2010 study by Davies et al. found that … Read More