TEFCA and Healthcare Interoperability for Patient Care
The significance of health information exchange (HIE) in healthcare cannot be overstated. It serves as the lifeline of modern healthcare systems, ensuring the right information is available at the right time, to the right people. This seamless flow of patient data not only enhances the quality of care but also optimizes healthcare delivery processes, leading to improved patient outcomes and reduced healthcare costs.
One of the most profound impacts of HIE is on patient safety. By providing real-time access to patient health records, healthcare providers can make informed decisions, avoid duplicate tests and procedures, and reduce the likelihood of medical errors. This level of coordination and collaboration among providers, facilitated by HIE, is essential in offering comprehensive and efficient patient care.
This is why RxLive has committed to participating in the newly established Trusted Exchange Framework and Common Agreement (TEFCA) and joined a Qualified Health Information Network (QHIN). To learn more about how we’re leveraging the power of health information exchange to improve patient care and outcomes, check out our blog here.
RxLive Innovation and Research
Replay: Harnessing HIT standards for improving medication directions for use
Feel free to connect with us and be a part of this transformative journey in healthcare.
Patient Case
COPD Exacerbation and Medication Adherence
This month’s patient case spotlights a common issue with COPD management and how pharmacists can identify gaps in care quickly in order to reduce the risk of hospitalization. A 67 year old woman with hypertension, hyperlipidemia and COPD was experiencing a significant worsening of her COPD symptoms.
Challenge Identified: She complained of difficulty breathing with activities of daily living, such as walking around the house, and reported increased use of her albuterol inhaler and nebulizer at least 3 times daily. She had stopped taking her prescribed Trelegy® 6+ months previously because she hadn’t felt it was effective.
Pharmacist’s Assessment and Plan:
The pharmacist immediately escalated the matter to the PCP and recommended restarting the Trelegy®.
Follow-up and Outcome:
The patient was contacted by the nurse manager and further triaged. A prescription for a prednisone taper was initiated and the Trelegy® was restarted.
This case underscores the critical role of pharmacists in medication management and optimizing treatment effectiveness through vigilant assessment and collaboration with the healthcare team. By quickly identifying the gap in therapy, the patient was able to avoid a hospitalization and receive the medication needed to improve her COPD management.
Stories we’re following
This June, we’re spotlighting several developments at the forefront of pharmacy and technology:
Medicare Part D Improvements: As a result of the Inflation Reduction Act, starting in 2025, all Medicare prescription drug plans will be required to offer enrollees the option to pay out-of-pocket prescription drug costs in the form of capped monthly installment payments instead of all at once at the pharmacy.
The Federal Register published a new rule regulating prescription health information technology standards and implementation specifications. It will revise the Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit regulations to implement changes related to required standards for electronic prescribing and adoption of health information technology standards for Health and Human Services use.
The FDA approved the 50th biosimilar this spring, reflecting the markedly increased availability of biosimilar products—products that treat a wide range of chronic and severe illnesses, and which have already had an important impact on patient access. Biosimilars are now approved for 15 different reference biologics, and treat illnesses like rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, some cancers, psoriasis, diabetes, macular degeneration, osteoporosis, and more.
Stay tuned as we explore these trends, demonstrating the dynamic role of pharmacists in driving healthcare innovation.
