Who Is Counting On You?

Choices made based on untrue or incomplete information can be expensive and even deadly.

A recent study suggested 43% higher excess death rate from the pandemic among one major political party compared to the excess death rate among another major political party, largely due to lower vaccination rates.

Caring to speak up is an act of bravery and humanity. You can save lives. Who is counting on you to deliver the truthful information? Are you prioritizing it? What could happen if you didn’t? What could happen if you did?

The Gifts From Today

The day is teeming with possibilities. For those who choose to see them.

‘Don’t count the days. Make the days count.’ -Muhammad Ali

See It Through

The easy way is the way out. It seems easy in the moment, but often leads to a dead end. What a waste.

We give up our agency and our freedom, simply to avoid responsibility.

Every time we do, what happens after that is still our responsibility.

Longing

Inclusivity implies belonging.

Belonging implies longing.

If we long for them, they will belong.

Eye On the Target

Once you’ve decided on a target, don’t hold back and don’t fall back.

Go, go, go.

You’re in safe hands.

Feedback Through Failure

When in school, grades gave us feedback on whether we got it right or wrong.

In the real world, people and metrics give us feedback on whether we got it right or wrong.

Do not fear failure. It’s a part of learning.

No failure, no learning.

Last Step: Double Check

In 1999, NASA’s space mission blew up right at launch all because someone forgot to calculate using metric units.

Silly mistakes can cost money, reputation, and even lives.

We are not perfect, which is why we’ll catch our own errors if we care to double-check our work.

Go in with a fresh mind and new approach so you can catch those stealthy errors.

You’re not done until you’re done.

Biosimilar Entry Is Not Generic Entry

Biosimilar adoption brings with it real disruptions to pharmacy and provider workflow.

Access barriers can dampen biosimilar uptake despite state-permitted interchangeability designations and automatic substitutions.

AJHP offers a glimpse what needs to be done to make provider workflows biosimilar-ready:

• Educate staff on biosimilar formulations, concentration, interchangeability status, and patient resources
• Update EHR to ensure product database for the biosimilars is up to date
• Review current support for benefits investigation and prior authorization services and anticipate increased demand/workload
• If feasible, obtain direct numbers for most commonly utilized specialty pharmacies
• Discuss with the most common health insurance plans in the practice to determine which biosimilar products are preferred
• Start educating patients currently on reference product about the potential prescription changes to help mitigate nocebo effect
• For those who transition to a biosimilar, counsel on potential differences and ensure patients are connected to the correct financial and medication access resources as available per the manufacturer
• Continue to stay up to date on the biosimilar landscape, as more products may be approved and interchangeability laws may evolve
• Implement monitoring program post-biosimilar transition to ensure clinical stability and minimize nocebo effect
• Designate a primary champion for biosimilars who can serve to update the collaborate scope of practice; continue to refine workflows; and be the point person in the clinic for patients relating to biosimilar education, questions/concerns, and workflow needs

Managed Care Glossary

Here’s a living glossary of managed care terms: https://www.amcp.org/about/managed-care-pharmacy-101/managed-care-glossary

AMCP enrolls experienced managed care pharmacists to keep this glossary updated for anyone who is interested in understanding and learning the basics of managed care.

Stand Up

Our future is too fragile for us to go with the flow.

Pick a side and stand up for it. Going against the flow takes guts. Go!