Insights Newsletter April 2024: Emerging Trends for Clinical Leadership

This month’s Insights Newsletter covers the latest practice-changing pharmacy updates, emerging trends, and popular natural medicine topics and resources. 

Be Ready for Questions About Spring COVID-19 Boosters

The CDC now recommends that patients age 65 or older who already received a 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine should get an additional dose. These evolving recommendations will generate questions for clinicians and patients. Our Letter articles unpack the basis for CDC’s new recommendation in older adults and includes patient education points about the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination. We also provide practical pearls, such as ensuring that it has been at least four months since a prior COVID-19 vaccination. Additionally, we clarify the recommended approach for adults under age 65, and our resource, COVID-19 Vaccines, provides a comparison of products, doses, storage, and more. Read More

Community Topic: Weigh Med Options for Generalized Anxiety Disorder   

Generalized anxiety disorder is one of the more commonly encountered mental health conditions in primary care, but it’s often under-recognized and under treated. Our Letter articles review a stepwise approach to management of generalized anxiety disorder, including first-line medications as well as add-on or alternative options. In addition, we identify natural therapies that may be considered and review medications that may exacerbate anxiety. Our resource, Pharmacotherapy of Anxiety, provides guidance about management of other anxiety disorders, such as panic disorder or social anxiety disorder. Read More

Hospital Topic: Stop Tranexamic Acid Errors in Their Tracks

Deadly errors occur can when tranexamic acid is mistakenly given intrathecally instead of a local anesthetic, such as bupivacaine. Our Letter articles highlight ISMP’s new targeted best practice to prevent wrong-route errors with tranexamic acid and reasons why these errors are occurring. We provide practical solutions including storage and labeling guidance to protect patients from harm. Read More

What’s New with Creatine?

With warmer temperatures and summer approaching workout regimens are amping up. Creatine is one of the top selling supplements on Amazon. In our NatMed article, we review the evidence and discuss our latest creatine update. We found that the most supportive evidence on its use is for athletic performance and muscle strength. We discuss the benefits with different sports and also advise providers on preferred types and dosages. Read More

Pharmacy Law & Regulatory Update: New Pharmacy Bills: Stay in Compliance with Bula

Last month, Bula added over 111 bills affecting the practice of pharmacy, with significant numbers originating from states such as Illinois, Minnesota, Louisiana, and Missouri. Bula diligently monitors the evolving landscape of pharmacy laws, complex regulations, and sub-regulations within its platform, all crucial to the industry, including pharmacy bills and proposed rules.

How You Can Monitor Reports in the Bills and Proposed Rules Database:

• Search legislative and regulatory updates in all of your jurisdictions.
• Customize a search query specific to your needs.
• Search by keyword, jurisdiction, law type, timeframe, or topics.
• Schedule this report to be sent to you on your desired schedule.
• Download the report as an Excel Workbook file.
• Create as many search queries, reports, and alerts as you wish.

Learn how Bula can streamline your pharmacy compliance efforts. Read More

Virtual Trainings You Don’t Want To Miss

Ensure Your Pharmacy Staff is Keeping Up with Required Compounding Trainings

CriticalPoint offers affordable group options for virtual training classes that are focused on sterile and non-sterile compounding, handling hazardous drugs, designated person best practices, and inspector training. Offered monthly, our flexible schedule allows your staff to pick the date that works best for their schedule. Read More

Other Covered Topics

Learn how to strengthen your pharmacy technician training program with PTU Elite, listen to the latest Medication Talk podcast, Diabetes Treatment Updates, and more. Read More