Research in social & administrative pharmacy : RSAP
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Res Social Adm Pharm · Sep 2016
Effects of the Affordable Care Act's young adult insurance expansion on prescription drug insurance coverage, utilization, and expenditures.
The US Affordable Care Act (ACA) extended the age of eligibility for young adults to remain on their parents' health insurance plans in order to address the disproportionate number of uninsured young adults in the United States. Effective September 23, 2010, the ACA has required all private health insurance plans to cover dependents until the age of 26. However, it is unknown whether the ACA dependent coverage expansion had an impact on prescription drug insurance or the use of prescription drugs. ⋯ While the main goal of the ACA's young adult insurance expansion was to increase health insurance coverage among young adults, it also had the unintended positive effect of increasing coverage for prescription drug insurance. Additionally, young adults experienced substantial decreases in out-of-pocket spending for prescription drugs. It is important for evaluations of health care policies to assess both intended and unintended outcomes to better understand the implications for the broader health system.
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Res Social Adm Pharm · Sep 2016
Changes in medication regimen complexity and the risk for 90-day hospital readmission and/or emergency department visits in U.S. Veterans with heart failure.
Heart failure (HF) hospitalization is associated with multiple medication modifications. These modifications often increase medication regimen complexity and may increase the risk of readmission and/or emergency department (ED) visit. ⋯ Changes in medication regimen complexity that occur during hospitalization may also be associated with optimization of medical therapy and do not necessarily portend worse outcomes in patients with HF.
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Res Social Adm Pharm · Sep 2016
Pharmacists' counseling on oral contraceptives: A theory informed analysis.
Providing correct and complete counseling on the use of oral contraceptives (OCs) is central to securing the autonomy of women in child-bearing age and is a powerful, proven tool of social change. Pharmacists in many developing countries such as Egypt are involved in dispensing and at times prescribing pharmaceuticals, including oral contraceptives that are readily available without a prescription. ⋯ The TPB appears to help predict pharmacists' OC counseling. There is a need to prepare pharmacists who are frequently requested to assist women with the selection of an oral contraceptive. Interventions that would facilitate women's requests for information may be valuable to increase pharmacists' counseling on oral contraceptives. Future qualitative and observational studies are needed to assess complexities in counseling on oral contraceptives in developing countries.
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Res Social Adm Pharm · Sep 2016
Hospital pharmacists' perceptions of medication counseling: A focus group study.
Medication counseling sessions are key times for a pharmacist to speak to patients about their medications and the changes made to their therapies during their hospital stay. ⋯ Hospital pharmacists emphasized patient-centered goals in medication counseling and outlined the challenges to meet those goals. The findings from this study will be used to develop strategies for effective communication and inform pharmacy practice changes to improve patient care.
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Res Social Adm Pharm · Sep 2016
Examining hospital pharmacists' goals for medication counseling within the communication accommodation theoretical framework.
Medication counseling opportunities are key times for pharmacists to speak to patients about their medications and any changes made during their hospital stay. Communication Accommodation Theory (CAT) posits that an individual's goals drive their communication behavior. The way in which pharmacists communicate with patients may be determined by the goals they set for these medication counseling sessions. ⋯ Patient-centered goals described by hospital pharmacists for medication counseling aligned well with CAT behaviors necessary for effective communication. Further research using the CAT framework to examine the effectiveness of hospital pharmacist-patient exchanges that include both participants' perspectives is required to better understand how well pharmacists communicate with patients.