Drug Topics - May 12, 2008 - (Page 42)

42 DRUG TOPICS MAY 12, 2008 www.drugtopics.com Cover Story ment. Health Clinics. Walgreens estiWalgreens sees tremendous mates the current potential margrowth opportunities in the secket for worksite health centers tor. “There are 6,000 worksites and pharmacies includes more that have 1,000 employees or than 7,600 corporate campuses more, all of those are great opof 1,000 employees or more. portunities,” Rosenbluth added, “Our vision is to bring the “The companies that are using in-store clinic, and align with these services are mainly selfworksite health and wellness ceninsured, but we have seen a lot ters in a fashion that creates a of interest from managed care value proposition, for employorganizations that are looking ers, employees, and dependents,” to provide the same kinds of explained Hal Rosenbluth, corservices.” porate VP, who is heading the Rosenbluth also sees the clinhealth and wellness division. ics as a response to a dearth of “The clinics can provide a new primary care physicians. “There type of care that doesn’t exist tois a lot of talk about universal day with the patient, nurse prachealth care, but no one is talktitioner, and pharmacist working of the prescriptions collaboratively to create a patient More than halfat pharmacies run by at USC ing about who is going to provide are now filled the health care for the insured,” he experience that is sound.” pharmacy school, according to Lisa insisted. “We need more providAccording to Rosenbluth the Macchia and Pete Vanderveen. on-site clinics provide a real value to employers. Some ers. We are part of the solution, though not the entire companies see on-site clinics as a recruiting pull, while solution.” others look at the cost of presenteeism, for workers who arrive at work but are ill and not productive. Still other Space-aged solutions employers like having the resources to educate workers A growing number of companies are taking a hard look on nutrition, exercise, and chronic disease manage- at healthcare costs. In 2006, the Aerospace Contractors Trust (ACT) union joined forces with Jacobs Engineering to find a better solution for the workers at Jacob’s Taking the challenge facility in rural Tullahoma (See “Independents create or Hamilton Health Care System, in Dalton, Ga., joinnew benefit model,” Drug Topics, Jan. 8, 2007). Local ing the Diabetes Ten City Challenge was not a difficult independent pharmacies with the support of Ameridecision. “Being a healthcare organization, we wanted to take a lead stance,” explained Jason Hopkins, director of sourceBergen approached the defense department and human resources for Hamilton’s two hospitals, wellness NASA supplier to help reign in skyrocketing costs. center, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities. “We It’s been a slow building process, admitted Lee believed in the model from the get go. When we saw the Whitham, human resource director for Jacobs Enresults from Asheville, it was something we felt we could gineering, who is overseeing the program. A steering simulate at Hamilton.” committee made up of Jacobs management, union repRather than use its own pharmacists, however, Hamilton resentatives, and employees has helped shape the proturned to outside pharmacists to ensure that the counselgram, which did away with mail-order prescriptions and ing sessions remain completely confidential. Also, Hopkins noted, “with the shortage of pharmacists, we didn’t want encouraged the use of independent pharmacists. “We to slow the process down by recruiting pharmacists for built a plan to be successful, using local pharmacists the program.” to have intervention time at the point of delivery,” he According to Hopkins, Hamilton is “fairly liberal” on what is explained. “We are on the path to curbing costs and to a included in the program, completely waiving copays for most better delivery system with more educated members.” medications and supplies. The company has already decided The ACT plan was carefully constructed to encourto expand the program to other disease states, including age beneficiaries to utilize independent pharmacists cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. in the surrounding communities that would be emHopkins estimates that 250 of its 1,800 employees and eligible dependents have diabetes and that 90 have joined powered to switch patients to generics and could offer the program. “We know there are more that we can cap90-day fills on some medications. The plan also encourture,” he added. About two or three beneficiaries join the ages pharmacists to discuss the medication and disease program each month. management at the point of dispensing, to help educate F Jana Cruder / Aurora Photos http://www.drugtopics.com

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Drug Topics - May 12, 2008 Contents Latebreakers Letters R.Ph.s Say More Needs to be Done to Prevent Pediatric Drug Errors There's a New School of Thought on Use of Beta-Blockers for Hypertension Cover Story Guest Spot Letters Clinical Practice Special Report Professional Practice Broad Label for New Leukemia Therapy Looks Promising Treating Asthma During Pregnancy Safer than Not, Says New Guide In the Pipeline Clinical Q&A APhA Leader's Plan to Leave Office Takes Center Stage at its Conference Policies Passed at a Glance Giving a Talk to the Community? Check Out These Materials This Foundation has Funds to Spare JP at Large Cover Story: Employers and R.Ph.S: A Win-Win Combo FDA's Ilisa Bernstein Discusses Pharmacy Affairs Legal Q&A Manufacturers Unleash a Rash of Poison Ivy Treatments Are OTC Cold Remedies Safe for Kids? Probiotics are All the Rage: How You Can Capitalize on It CMS' Prices for Round One of DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Raising Concerns CVS Caremark's Mentoring Program Recruits and Retains R.Ph.s Antibiotic Resistance Among Community Pathogens Technology Update New Products Advertisers Index Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - May 12, 2008

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