Accurate Assessment of Adherence (man vs. machine) [abstract]

A recent article in Chest1 demonstrates the value of electronic data collection in medication adherence. In this case it was inhalation therapy in cystic fibrosis patients. This type of article is important as we consider the future of electronic health records and where the data for such records should come. Remember, people are notoriously unreliable historians while computers don’t lie.

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Hmm, retail pharmacy still sucks? Go figure

Jim Plagakis:

The rules of the game as they are designed by CVS and Rite-Aid make the game unwinnable unless you are going to operate as a glorified technician.  It must be downright painful for pharmacists with high personal standards and respect for professional ethics.  I can understand the bitterness.  I can understand the feelings of despair.  I can see the anger.  Just don’t forget:

It’s the JOB, Stupid.  There is nothing wrong with the PROFESSION.

Jim’s post rings home for many pharmacists that live in the retail world. Not the community pharmacy world, which is entirely different, but the retail world.

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The future of tablets, operating systems and innovation

TeachPaperless: A Prediction: What Platform Will Be Running on the Tablets in Your Classes?

Windows.

That’s my prediction. Here’s my rationale: Windows 8 has been designed especially for touchscreen computing. Windows is the overwhelming winner in the enterprise market. Major PC manufacturers from HP to Dell are re-evaluating their business in a post-iPad world. In the short term, no PC company is going to catch up to the iPad. And the Kindle Fire will soak up much of the remaining consumer market for folks who just want to watch movies and read books on a tablet.

Although this article is aimed at the future of tablets in the classroom, it has deeper undertones. The author predicts that Windows will rule the day, but also states that "in many ways it’s a ludicrous prediction". I don’t think it’s ludicrous at all. Over the past 12-18 months I’ve attempted to replace my Win 7 tablet PC with an iPad, an Android tablet and an HP TouchPad. They serve a purpose, but none of them have come close to allowing me to leave my laptop or Win 7 tablet at home.

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Interactive Handbook on Injectable Drugs for iPad and iPhone

It feels like a day doesn’t go by that I don’t receive an email letting me know of something cool for mobile devices. With the ever increasing onslaught of tablet and smartphone use in pharmacy practice it’s only a matter of time before everything will be available in some electronic media format.

In this case it’s ASHP’s Interactive Handbook on Injectable Drugs: IV Decision Support by Lawrence A. Trissel. Every pharmacist working in a hospital pharmacy knows about this reference. And if they don’t then they have a big problem because it’s only one of the most definitive reference sources for IV compatibility. Over the course of my career it’s simply been know as “the Trissel’s”. (kind of like “the Talyst”…just sayin’ – private joke people)

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Tarascon Pharmacopoeia available for Android and iPad

I received the email below a few days ago announcing that The Tarascon Pharmacopoeia is now available for Android and the iPad. I’m not a big fan myself, but the reference appears to be popular with certain crowds. Historically it’s more popular with community/retail pharmacists than hospital pharmacists. This might have something to do with … Read more

Cool Football Technology

technology review: Dan Garza, assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery at the Stanford School of Medicine, and his team recently completed a study of the mouth guards using crash-test dummies, and  plan to publish the data soon… Garza believes that the mouth guards may turn out to be more accurate than helmets because they don’t shift … Read more

What I miss most, and least about working in a hospital

I left pharmacy practice in November of 2010, so I’ve been out of the hospital for almost a year now. Typically I don’t give it a second thought, but recently I’ve found myself in several inpatient pharmacies face to face with pharmacists and technicians. Pharmacists are always willing to engage in talk about pharmacy practice, clinical situations and how things are going. The technicians are always up for a little conversation about operations, equipment, medication preparation, and so on. I find it quite enjoyable. While I’m not pining for the good old days, I do tend to get a little nostalgic on occasion.

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