Saving Lives Through Collaboration

At the office where Pharmacy Times^® is produced, we have a saying that in many ways has become our company mantra: “collaboration saves lives.” For us, this phrase is a reminder of our responsibility to come together as a team of editors, salespeople, artists, analysts, and contributing pharmacists to deliver informative and high-quality content that enables health care providers to better treat their patients.

Of course, pharmacists are all too familiar with the importance of collaboration. Not only do pharmacists work alongside technicians, students and interns to care for their patients on a daily basis, but they are increasingly teaming with physicians, nurse practitioners, and other health care providers, as well.

Indeed, study after study has demonstrated the benefits of incorporating pharmacists on interdisciplinary health care teams. For example, research published in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy concluded that pharmacist-led interventions yielded reduced A1C values among patients with diabetes, with communication between pharmacists and physicians proving integral to these results.¹ Another study presented at PainWeek 2017 concluded that patients with chronic pain achieved a reduction in opioid use when treated by an integrated pain team that included a pharmacist.² As health care continues to evolve, it is crucial that the industry recognizes the immense value that pharmacists bring to patient health and empower them accordingly.

One area in which pharmacists can collaboratively work with other health care providers toward better outcomes is in digestive health. To help them in this endeavor, this issue of Pharmacy Times^® contains practical information on peptic ulcer disease, probiotics, irritable bowel syndrome, proton pump inhibitors, and more, as well as free continuing-education activities on dry eye and cystic fibrosis.

Thank you for reading, and remember, collaboration saves lives!

References

• Deters MA, Laven A, Castejon A, et al. Effective interventions for diabetes patients by community pharmacists: a meta-analysis of pharmaceutical care components. Ann Pharmacother. 2018 Feb;52(2):198-21 doi: 10.1177/1060028017733272. Epub 2017 Sep 26. PubMed PMID: 28948839.
• Rife T, Tighe J, Li Y, Seal K. Improving Chronic Pain Care and Opioid Safety in VA Primary Care: Implemetnation and Evaluation of the Integrated Pain Team Clinic. Presented at: PainWeek 2017. September 5-9, 2017. Las Vegas.