Telemedicine can help limit the time spent in the emergency department (ED) and help hospitals with demand surges, according to a new study published in 

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has limited doctors’ offices and hospital visits to help ensure patient and care provider safety. Telemedicine can help bridge the gap rather than diminish the quality of care, according to the study. Additionally, overcrowding in EDs are a common problem in general, which can be costly for hospitals and impact patient experience.

Investigators looked at ED visits in New York from 2010 to 2014, comparing visits that utilized telemedicine versus those that did not.

Investigators found that telemedicine significantly reduces average length of stay. According to the study, this finding is partially driven by flexible resource allocation. Using telemedicine during ED surges can also reduce hospital stays and reduce patient wait times.

The majority (76%), of United States hospitals are already using telemedicine technologies.

"The current pandemic has shown hospitals the great promise of telemedicine application and hopefully the unexpected enrollment of such policies, alongside this research, can help get the process underway to help more health care facilities utilize this technology in [Eds] and elsewhere," study author Susan Lu, PhD said in a prepared statement.

"Policymakers can play a role as well by reducing regulatory barriers that inhibit more expansive use of telemedicine and by creating incentives that encourage hospitals to more broadly adopt telemedicine in emergency rooms,” said Lu.

Adopting telemedicine during ED surges would not increase costs, study authors say, nor would it increase the expense of care quality.

Utilizing telemedicine in the ER can reduce wait times and patient length of stay [News Release] October 16, 2020; West Lafayette, Indiana. 

https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-10/ifor-uti101620.php

Articles

Investigators found that using telemedicine can improve patient experience. 

Study: Telemedicine Can Reduce Emergency Department Backlog, Wait Times

Halloween will likely look different this year as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic persists throughout the United States. Many families look forward to Halloween festivities, and there are a variety of creative and safe ways to celebrate while reducing the spread of COVID-19.

This is a great time for health care professionals to educate the public and remind everyone about the importance of masks, physical distancing (staying at least 6 feet apart), and frequent hand washing. Individuals should not let their guard down during Halloween, as it is critical to prevent the spread of COVID-19. It is also an important time to remind the community that everyone’s actions have a direct impact on the health of others.

Both the CDC and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) have issued guidance on Halloween activities, and health and safety measures.

 “The decisions we make on this 1 day can have a ripple effect on our family members.We can find safe ways to celebrate and create magical memories,” said Shelly Vaziri Flais, MD, FAAP, pediatrician and AAP spokesperson in a prepares statement.

Evidence demonstrates that even small family gatherings can lead to COVID-19 spread when appropriate safety measures are not followed.

Hosting a virtual costume party is a great way to stay connected with family and friends.2 Pumpkin carving, decorating, and a Halloween movie night with members of the same household can be fun for all ages. Creating a Halloween themed scavenger hunt by hiding treats around the house is also sure to be a big hit.

Outdoor activities with family and friends that are not in the same household should involve physical distancing, mask wearing, and frequent hand washing.

 Drive through events are being advertised on social media as a safe way to experience Halloween without getting out of the car, and may even have curbside treats and pumpkins. Attending an outdoor costume parade can be a fun way to celebrate Halloween, as long as all health and safety measures are followed.

 If visiting a pumpkin patch, it’s important to wash hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol after touching surfaces and pumpkins.

 Crowds should be avoided, and individuals should not attend indoor events such as haunted houses, as these can increase the spread of COVID-19.

Individuals should avoid traditional trick-or-treating, and residents should sit outdoors wearing face coverings if they would like to hand out individually packaged treats.

 Families should bring hand sanitizer and use frequently while trick-or-treating, and wash their hands after returning home. All individuals aged 2 years and older should wear adequate face coverings, as costume masks are not sufficient against COVID-19 transmission, if trick-or-treating.

It also is important to offer non-candy options for children with food allergies, and in doing so, households can participate in the Teal Pumpkin Project.

 All families should wipe down treat bags and keep candy in quarantine for a few days as an extra precaution.

CDC. Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): Trick or treating and other Halloween activities. Updated October 9, 2020. Accessed October 14, 2020. 

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/holidays/halloween.html

AAP. American Academy of Pediatrics offers tips for a safe Halloween during pandemic. Published September 22, 2020. Accessed October 14, 2020. 

https://services.aap.org/en/news-room/news-releases/health--safety-tips/american-academy-of-pediatrics-offers-tips-for-a-safe-halloween-during-pandemic/

Schwartz NG, Moorman AC, Makaretz A, et al. Adolescent with COVID-19 as the Source of an Outbreak at a 3-Week Family Gathering — Four States, June–July 2020. 

Many families look forward to Halloween festivities, and there are a variety of creative and safe ways to celebrate while reducing the spread of COVID-19. 

Halloween Activity Health Tips During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Every year on October 12, the observance of World Arthritis Day calls global attention to the complex, multifaceted disease that causes both physical and emotional impacts, yet is still called the ‘invisible disease.’1

Many people with arthritis are more vulnerable to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their age or a compromised immune system. Taking action and spreading awareness about the seriousness of arthritis can help make health care more accessible and affordable for chronic diseases and finding a cure.

There are multiple ways that the public can advocate for the cause and spread the word about World Arthritis Day. For example, the Arthritis Foundation is asking the public to take part in the 

 study and sharing the results with policymakers, medical experts, and product manufacturers to bring about major changes.

Additionally, on October 14, 2020, there is an opportunity to be an advocate for World Arthritis Day by participating in the roundtable discussion, “Policy Prescription: Improving Pain Management Through Research, Innovation, & Access” which will talk about the challenges arthritis patients face and potential solutions to improve care and outcomes.

In recognition of World Arthritis Day, PainBloc24 is matching 

s to the Arthritis Foundation for up to $25,000. The donation match is occurring for 1 day.

World Arthritis Day 2020. Arthritis Foundation. Published October 5, 2020. Accessed October 12, 2020. 

http://blog.arthritis.org/living-with-arthritis/world-arthritis-day-2020/?_ga=2.44939812.187298419.1602514455-1418080035.1602514455&_gac=1.255058650.1602514455.cjwkcajw_y_8brbieiwa5mcbjvltulvviyid2zduptck5gtzqoo0oojj445b_bcvxjbmurj9fpefhxoc6z0qavd_bwe

Every year on October 12, the observance of World Arthritis Day calls global attention to the complex, multifaceted disease that causes both physical and emotional impacts, yet is still called the ‘invisible disease.

Bringing Attention to the ‘Invisible Disease’ on World Arthritis Day 2020

New community-focused pharmacy and health care initiatives are being implemented by Walgreens in Chicago, Illinois, to address health disparities and improve outcomes beginning in underserved neighborhoods on the South Side.

“Improving the health and well-being of the communities we serve guides everything we do, and we know there is great need, as well as opportunity, to assist the patients we serve on their journey to better health,” said John Standley, Walgreens president, in a press release. “By learning more about the particular health needs in these areas and tailoring our pharmacy services to help address them, we can continue to make an impact as part of our commitment to Chicago, and with pharmacists our customers know and trust.”

Walgreens is working to expand access to affordable care and educational outreach to further support the city of Chicago’s health equity objectives, according to the press release.

Further, Walgreens has started to bring health service offerings to Chatham on the South Side of the city, including the following initiatives:

, where pharmacists are prioritizing high-touch consultations for those living with diabetes to personalize solutions, address any barriers to taking medications and making recommendations for health screenings and immunizations.

, where pharmacists are conducting outreach to parents and guardians of children with asthma to provide education on the importance and proper use of asthma medications, review adverse effects, discuss asthma triggers, and provide action plans in collaboration with health care providers as needed.

, with flu shots provided at no cost through initiatives with health insurers, the Illinois Department of Public Health, local community groups and churches in Little Village, Chatham, Gresham, Englewood, Bronzeville, Austin, and Roseland.

, sponsored by the First Ladies Health Initiative, working with African American church leaders and pastors’ wives to provide thousands of free health screenings, including blood pressure, blood glucose, HIV screenings, and immunizations.

where Walgreens is supporting the American Heart Association’s efforts to eliminate health disparities and the life expectancy gap between Chicago neighborhoods.

through the expansion of the Walgreens Prescription Savings Club, which provides savings up to 80% off of more than 8000 medicines to members.

In addition to these new initiatives, Walgreens has extended its offering of free prescription delivery for 1- to 2-day deliveries through the end of 2020.

Walgreens addressing health disparities in Chicago’s Underserved Communities with New Pharmacy and Healthcare Initiatives. Walgreens Newsroom. 

https://news.walgreens.com/covid-19/press-releases-1/walgreens-addressing-health-disparities-in-chicagos-underserved-communities-with-new-pharmacy-and-healthcare-initiatives.htm?view_id=8541

. Published October 7, 2020. Accessed October 9, 2020.

Walgreens Addressing Health Disparities in Underserved Chicago Communities

Data science can be effectively used to predict patient outcomes for areas such as medication utilization and readmission rates to hospitals, according to a session on applying data science at the DHX Virtual conference. These predictions can help the users of data science tools to support the delivery of optimal patient care.

Data science uses the scientific method, processes, algorithms, and systems to extract applicable knowledge from structural and unstructured data, explained speaker Dalton Fabian, PharmD, RPh, a data science analyst at UnityPoint Health, during the session.

The field is comprised of different disciplines in order to tap into their skillsets, including math and statistics, business knowledge, and computer science, according to Fabian. Each of these disciplines then fits in uniquely to the function of data science in pharmacy.

For the use of math and statistics, data science analysts apply these skills when using data from the past to predict the future, such as the likelihood of whether someone will be readmitted to the hospital within 30 days of discharge.

Business knowledge, on the other hand, is used by data science analysts to communicate with nurses regarding the tools that the analysts have made. This communication helps analysts confirm that the nurses have a full understanding of the tools they are using, according to Fabian.

“As pharmacists, we understand the intricacies of health care, like how to read lab descriptions and how to interpret lab values using those types of skills in our data work,” Fabian explained.

Additionally, Fabian noted that data scientists use computer science skills when writing sequel queries to obtain or analyze data implementing models and programming languages, such as R and Python, as well as visualizing data with platforms such as tableau.

David Berkowitz, PharmD, an Omnicell One field strategist and director of the Omnicell fellowships in data analytics and automation research, said during the session that obtaining data is always the first step to commencing work as a data science analyst.

“First, you need data,” Berkowitz said. “The standard nomenclature is ETL—extract, transform, and load. And that’s getting data from your source system, whether it would be an electronic health record, laboratory system, IOT device, blood pressure cuff, etc.”

The next step is to transform these data into a format that is usable, such as Epic, which is written using Massachusetts General Hospital Utility Multi-Programming System (MUMPS). MUMPS, a programming code that was developed in the late 1960s, is a language that is effective for fast operations, which allows users to click a lab result and find the necessary information quickly.

“That’s why when you build, say, a workbench report, it’ll sort of crap out after looking back 14 days, because that type of search is not meant for querying, doing research, and doing data analysis—it’s meant for operations,” Berkowitz said.

By moving the data and encoding it into a different format, which is usually structured query language (SQL) in health care, data science analysts are able to store the data. The databases available to for storage are generally SQL, No-SQL, and cloud storage; however, not all providers use these databases when storing data.

“There are still a lot of folks in health care, probably actually a majority, that store their data on premises, or you’ll hear ‘on prem,’ which can make it a little harder to do data science because you have to sort of, when doing a specific analysis, enrich data with different sources,” Berkowitz said. “It’s harder to do that on prem in real time because of connections. So, cloud first is my motto.”

At Omnicell, Berkowitz noted that his team uses almost exclusively SQL. However, other employees at Omnicell will code using Python, R, or Scala, although the language used is often dependent on the specific problem the analyst is trying to solve.

For data visualization, analysts commonly use Qlik, Power-BI, Tableau, or R-Studio in order to communicate data more effectively and support business intelligence and predictions, Berkowitz explained.

At UnityPoint Health, Fabian noted that they have used these different elements of ETL to create a tool called Population Health, which is primarily used by care managers to enroll patients in care management services. This tool can help to lower costs for high-risk patients by decreasing utilization and increasing the frequency of patients’ meetings with care managers. This helps to catch issues before they become critical and require a hospital visit.

“What we did, as a data science team, is develop a machine learning model that predicts the likelihood that a patient is going to go to the hospital or the ED in the next 12 months, and that’s how we determine high risk,” Fabian said.

Fabian noted that this tool helps to allow care managers to spend more time taking care of patients rather than needing to focus on administrative tasks that they were doing previously to figure out whom to enroll.

Another tool created by UnityPoint Health is the Readmission Heat Map, which is used to decrease 30-day admission rates. This tool allows for the prediction of whether patients will readmit to the hospital within 30 days of discharge, down to the day.

“In this tool, we’re taking all of the data we have access to in Epic, like disease states, medication, and the fact that people are in the hospital, and pairing that with a predictive model to help those nurses make better decisions about the care that a patient is going to need once they get out of the hospital,” Fabian said. “Anything over a 20% likelihood, and nurses will take heed and intervene on behalf of those patients.”

Berkowitz noted that by applying these same types of data science tools to medication utilization, analysts are able to help pharmacists visualize data from their pharmacy in a chart. For example, this could be applied to visualizing the effects of the pandemic on medication utilization at a pharmacy.

“I took a look at vaccination rates since January 2020 to see how COVID-19 has affected vaccination rates,” Berkowitz said. “Basically, it went down to nothing. This kind of tells me that either folks weren’t stepping on nails or they weren’t getting care and going to their pharmacies.”

Fabian D, Berkowitz D. Applying Data Science. Presented at: DHX Virtual 2020; October 2, 2020; virtual. cpha.com/event/dhx-virtual/. Accessed October 2, 2020.

Data science can help to predict patient outcomes for areas such as medication utilization and readmission rates to hospitals. 

Data Science Can Predict Patient Outcomes to Optimize Care

A new study suggests that many medical professionals are not prescribing HIV prevention medications, even to patients at risk of contracting HIV.

Researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center surveyed 519 practitioners in 5 major cities who attended a continuing education course on HIV between March and May 2015. According to the study, published in 

 less than 10% of the more than 1 million people vulnerable to HIV are taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

“With a US policy goal to eradicate HIV by 2030, practitioners are central to ensuring the delivery of PrEP across care settings,” said study author Ashley Leech, PhD, in a statement.

Of the respondents, 70% were physicians, 9% were physician assistants, and 21% were nurse practitioners. The average age was 49 years old, with the majority identifying as female (57%) and white (58%).

 The majority of respondents said they had practiced independently for more than 10 years. Finally, 38% specialized in infectious disease, 27% in family medicine, 26% in internal medicine, and 9% in other specialties.

The survey found that internal medicine prescribers were 1.6 times more likely than infectious disease practitioners to prescribe PrEP, which the authors said was an indicator of the importance of internal and family medicine practitioners. These providers can play a major role in assessing and mitigating their patients’ risk of contracting HIV.

Leech noted that a possible explanation may be the longstanding confusion or disagreements between HIV experts and primary care practitioners over who should be responsible for prescribing PrEP. Age, years of training, and sex of the survey respondents were also significantly associated with prescribing experience.

The researchers also found that contrary to earlier beliefs, practitioners might be more willing to prescribe PrEP as a first clinical step for patients who inject drugs. However, they noted that more work is needed to effectively communicate with HIV-vulnerable groups and to reach individuals who could most benefit from PrEP.

“While a number of factors could impact PrEP prescribing, including patients’ low familiarity with the drug or practitioners’ lack of opportunity in offering PrEP, in order for the drug to be effective at eliminating HIV in the United States in the next 10 years, the proportion of prescribing needs to increase, with more effort placed on identifying risk across populations and clinical specialties,” Leech concluded.

Many practitioners are not prescribing HIV prevention medication, study finds [news release]. Vanderbilt University Medical Center; September 3, 2020. 

https://www.vumc.org/health-policy/HIV-preventive-medication-prescription-doctors

Leech AA, Christiansen CL, Linas BP, Jacobsen DM, et al. Healthcare practitioner experiences and willingness to prescribe pre-exposure prophylaxis in the US. 

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0238375

Internal medicine providers were 1.6 times more likely to prescribe PrEP than infectious disease practitioners.

Study: Just 54% of Practitioners Have Prescribed PrEP to HIV-Vulnerable Patients

Data from the CDC on heart disease in the United States found that the population’s susceptibility to heart disease varies depending on the state and county, according to an analysis from ValuePenguin.

ValuePenguin consolidated the CDC’s state and county information for middle-aged adults between aged 45 and 64 years, as well as seniors to break down the effects that heart attacks, coronary heart disease, hypertension, and stroke have on communities across the country. The most recent data was compiled from deaths per 100,000 residents, from 2016 to 2018. The databases also provided information on the cost of Medicare, the number of uninsured Americans, and those living in poverty.

The analysis showed that people living in the South are disproportionately affected by fatal heart conditions, including heart attacks, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and strokes. Further, heart disease is responsible for more fatalities relative to population in the South than the rest of the country, with the rate of fatal cases being nearly 1/8 higher than average.

Of all the states, Mississippi had the highest rate of deaths from all forms of heart disease relative to its population, with 301 fatal cases of heart disease per 100,000 people. Arkansas led the country in fatal heart attacks and coronary heart disease, where the rate at which people died from heart attacks was triple the country’s average, according to the analysis.

In Oklahoma, hypertension killed 123% more people than average, whereas people in Mississippi were the most likely to die from strokes, though its population had only a 38% greater chance of experiencing a fatal stroke than the rest of the country.

The analysis also found that men have a much greater risk than women of dying from heart disease and are approximately 3 times as likely as women to die from coronary heart disease or a heart attack.

Additionally, the CDC found that Black Americans were more likely to die from heart disease than other groups. Compared to the average of all other races, middle-aged Black men and women were more than 2 times more likely to die from hypertension and strokes.

In 9 of the 10 counties with the highest proportion of cardiovascular deaths, more than 20% of residents were below the poverty line, according to the analysis. Lack of access to health care can be another problem facing areas that have notably high rates of cardiovascular deaths. Of the 10 counties most at risk of fatal cases of heart disease, there were 4 counties with 0 hospitals. While the number of uninsured residents in the most at-risk counties is mostly aligned with the national average, the cost of Medicare per capita is higher than average in 6 of 10.

Heart disease kills 13% more people than average in the southern United States. ValuePenguin. Published September 14, 2020. Accessed September 23, 2020. 

https://www.valuepenguin.com/who-is-at-risk-of-heart-disease

The databases also provided information on the cost of Medicare, the number of uninsured Americans, and those living in poverty.







Study: Heart Disease Kills 13% More People in the South Than US Average

Lactic acid, citric acid, and potassium bitartrate (Phexxi, Evofem Biosciences) is a prescription combination, non-hormonal contraceptive gel approved by the FDA in May 2020. The vaginal gel was found to be 86.3% effective with typical use when inserted up to 1 hour before vaginal intercourse.



The gel acts as a contraceptive by maintaining the vaginal pH within its normal range of 3.5 to 4.5, an environment too acidic for sperm to survive. This pH regulating mechanism decreases sperm viability and supports bacteria integral to the vaginal microbiome.



The gel is supplied in a package of twelve, single dose (5 grams), pre-filled applicators with an attachable plunger. The applicator should be inserted into the vagina immediately before or up to 1 hour before vaginal intercourse, with a new dose needing to be administered prior to each act of intercourse.



The most common adverse events (AEs) were vulvovaginal burning (20%) and vulvovaginal itching (11.2%). Of local AEs, 23.9% were mild, 18.7% were moderate, and 2.3% were severe. Rates of these reactions mostly decreased over time.



Women with a history of recurrent urinary tract infections or urinary tract abnormalities should not use the gel due to the 0.36% incidence of cystitis or pyelonephritis in clinical trials.



Male partners of women using the gel might also experience local AEs such as burning, itching, and pain. However, the local AEs experienced by male partners were generally mild (74.7%), while 21.4% were moderate and 3.9% were severe.



The contraceptive gel is an option for women who are seeking a non-hormonal or on-demand method of birth control. Women preferring to use multiple methods of contraception can combine the gel with diaphragms and latex, polyurethane, and polyisoprene condoms. However, it should not be used with vaginal rings.



Spermicide is also available as a vaginal gel, but it is only about 72% effective with typical use.

 Like the non-hormonal contraceptive gel, it can be used on-demand. Nonoxynol-9, the active ingredient in most spermicides, can cause vaginal irritation and increase the risk of HIV transmission.

 In a clinical trial comparing nonoxynol-9 to the , incidences of vulvovaginal itching, burning, and irritation were similar, with the non-hormonal contraceptive gel having a slightly higher incidence of vulvovaginal burning.



The contraceptive gel’s novel pH modulating mechanism is currently being studied for prevention of gonorrhea and chlamydia in the phase 2B clinical trial AMPREVENCE. Preliminary results from the 4-month study period showed a 50% relative risk reduction of chlamydia and a 78% relative risk reduction of gonorrhea. The clinical trial will move on to phase 3 later in 2020.



Although the gel will be available as a prescription only treatment in September 2020, patients may face barriers to accessing the gel during COVID-19. Evofem Biosciences plans to launch a telemedicine program to support patient and provider access to the contraceptive gel.

 Additionally, barriers to contraception access could be further mitigated by enabling pharmacists to prescribe birth control.



Thomas MA, Chappel BT, Maximos B, Culwell KR, Dart C, Howard B. A novel vaginal pH regulator: results from the phase 3 AMPOWER contraception clinical trial. 

Phexxi. Prescribing information. Evofem Biosciences; 2020. 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2020/208352s000lbl.pdf

https://www.hhs.gov/opa/pregnancy-prevention/birth-control-methods/spermicide/index.html

FDA. Code of Federal Regulations Title 21; April 1, 2019. 

https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfCFR/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=201.325

Study of Contraceptive Efficacy & Safety of Phexxi™ (Previously Known as Amphora) Gel Compared to Conceptrol Vaginal Gel; March 11, 2020. 

https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/results/NCT01306331

Evofem Biosciences Reports Positive Top-Line Results from Phase 2b Study of Amphora® for Prevention of Chlamydia and Gonorrhea in Women. Evofem Biosciences; December 2, 2020. 

https://evofem.investorroom.com/2019-12-02-Evofem-Biosciences-Reports-Positive-Top-Line-Results-from-Phase-2b-Study-of-Amphora-R-for-Prevention-of-Chlamydia-and-Gonorrhea-in-Women

U.S. FDA Approves Evofem Biosciences' Phexxi™ (lactic acid, citric acid and potassium bitartrate), the First and Only Non-Hormonal Prescription Gel for the Prevention of Pregnancy. Evofem Biosciences; May 22, 2020. 

https://evofem.investorroom.com/2020-05-22-U-S-FDA-Approves-Evofem-Biosciences-Phexxi-TM-lactic-acid-citric-acid-and-potassium-bitartrate-the-First-and-Only-Non-Hormonal-Prescription-Gel-for-the-Prevention-of-Pregnancy

Lactic acid, citric acid, and potassium bitartrate is a prescription combination, non-hormonal contraceptive gel found to be 86.3% effective with typical use.

New Non-Hormonal Contraceptive Gel Found to Be Effective

Walgreens won the ‘Digital/Mobile Health Solutions’ category in the Fierce Innovation Awards - Healthcare Edition 2020. The annual competition highlights companies that demonstrated innovative solutions that have had the greatest potential to save money, engage patients, or revolutionize the industry over the past year, according to a press release.

The company’s digital health platform, Walgreens Find Care®, helps patients navigate their health care experience virtually, including by accessing convenient in-person and virtual doctor visits to manage chronic conditions. Patients are able to access more than 40 trusted providers that together offer more than 60 services and treat more than 100 conditions.

Walgreens Find Care® can flex and expand to meet emerging and current societal and health issues, according to an email sent to 

 For example, during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, Walgreens was able to expand the Walgreens Find Care® platform to include new features and telehealth service providers. With guidance from the CDC, the app was able to perform the following tasks:

Help patients connect with a Walgreens COVID-19 testing site.

Allow users to assess their risk for having COVID-19 through the use of a COVID-19 risk assessment tool based on CDC guidelines.

Guide individuals to relevant COVID-19 clinical trials in their area by using the Find My Clinical Trial program.

“We are honored to win this award for the innovative ways Walgreens helps make healthcare simpler, more accessible and more convenient,” said Giovanni Monti, senior vice president of healthcare services of Walgreens Boots Alliance, in a press release. “As a company focused on providing omni-channel solutions that address barriers to healthcare, we have designed Walgreens Find Care® to be the digital ‘front door’ to an integrated healthcare and pharmacy experience. Our goal is that Americans in all communities have convenient access to personalized, high-quality care that helps them lead healthier and happier lives.”

Walgreens Find Care wins Fierce Innovation Award [email]. Sent September 14, 2020. Accessed September 21, 2020.

Walgreens Find Care® receives high honors from Fierce Healthcare. Walgreens. 

https://news.walgreens.com/press-releases/general-news/walgreens-find-care-receives-high-honors-from-fierce-healthcare.htm

. Published September 14, 2020. Accessed September 21, 2020.

Walgreens won the ‘Digital/Mobile Health Solutions’ category in the Fierce Innovation Awards - Healthcare Edition 2020. 

Walgreens Receives Honor for Digital and Mobile Health Solutions in Fierce Innovation Awards 2020

The FDA has approved fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol (Trelegy Ellipta, GSK) for use in adults with asthma that remains uncontrolled despite treatment with their current maintenance therapy. This is the first and only, once-daily single inhaler triple therapy approved for the treatment of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to GSK.

Andrew Thomas, vice president of Respiratory Business Unit at GSK, said this approval holds major significance for adults with uncontrolled asthma despite treatment with their current maintenance therapy. Due to the challenges that physicians may face to train their patients and prepare them for treatments, as well as the struggle for patients to remember how to take the treatment, this therapy will make a difference.

“There have been multiple inhaler triple therapies used in asthma previously, with a combination of at least 2 inhalers with different dosing regimens,” Thomas said in an interview with 

. “With Trelegy Ellipta, it is only one inhalation a day in a triple therapy.”

The approval was based off the results of the CAPTAIN study conducted in adults 18 years of age and older whose asthma was inadequately controlled despite treatment with ICS/LABA maintenance asthma medication.

The data showed that in patients with uncontrolled moderate or severe asthma on inhaled corticosteroid plus long-acting β 2-agonists, adding umeclidinium improved lung function but did not lead to a significant reduction in moderate and/or severe exacerbations. Further, these patients are recommended to use the single inhaler fluticasone furoate, umeclidinium, and vilanterol due to its favorable, high-risk benefit profile.

Thomas mentioned that not only is this treatment more convenient, but it is 100 ml of improvement in lung function to help patients feel better, breathe easier, and live a fuller life with their asthma.

“We hope that with the addition of these new indications that more adult asthmatics in the United States can get control of asthma symptoms and live better lives because of this, and the same goes for COPD patients,” Thomas said in an interview with 

. “Having this inhaler should make a big difference in the lives of those patients.”

GSK’s Trelegy Ellipta the First Once-Daily, Single Inhaler Triple Therapy Approved for Asthma [email]. Accessed September 18, 2020.

Lee LA, Bailes Z, Barnes N, et al. Efficacy and safety of once-daily single-inhaler triple therapy (FF/UMEC/VI) versus FF/VI in patients with inadequately controlled asthma (CAPTAIN): a double-blind, randomised, phase 3A trial. The Lancet Respiratory Medicine. Doi:

https://doi.org/10.1016/S2213-2600(20)30389-1

This is the first and only, once-daily single inhaler triple therapy approved for the treatment of both asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

All News