SOS Rx ACTION AGENDA

1) Consumer Action - Targeting High-Risk Situations

This project will educate consumers on the avoidable risks of interactions with certain high-risk medications, such as warfarin. A public education campaign will target consumers taking high-risk medications and inform them that other non-prescription medications they may be taking (OTCs, dietary supplements, herbals), as well as food, could interact with the prescribed medication. Consumers need to be aware of the other medications they are taking and discuss possible interactions with their doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional. The resulting awareness campaign approach will be a template that could be customized and used for any high-risk medication.

Before developing the education messages, background research will first need to confirm that warfarin is a drug with a high incidence of interactions for seniors and that some level of responsibility for reducing the rate of ADEs associated with this drug lies with the consumer. While other medications could be targeted, we will first focus on a medication that is high-risk, and where an impact could be made. Experts on patient/consumer behavior, as well as patient groups, will be consulted on what types of messages will be effective. Pharmacists and providers will be consulted on the process of prescribing the targeted medication. Companies manufacturing the medication will also be consulted. Any current education initiatives will be reviewed. Messages will be tested by focus groups. Consumers could be reached through media, celebrity spokesperson, and point-of-refill education. Time frame for this project: 6 mos.– 1 year.

2) System Change - Clearinghouse of Best Practices on High-Risk Situations

This project will develop a clearinghouse of best practices for high-risk situations in the outpatient medication arena. There is a need for an updated dynamic resource for these best practices. Such a clearinghouse would include past practices currently housed in different places (AHRQ, NQF, CERTs, academic institutions, etc.). To initiate this project, will hold a 1-day meeting of experts to frame the scope of the project. Time frame for this project: 3- 5 years.

3) System Change - Personal Health Record (PHR)

With a personal health record a patient manages his or her own health record, including all medications (Rx, OTCs, herbals) allergies, and lab results. While there are various initiatives on this, standards and uniformity are needed to ensure such records are consumer-friendly and useful. This project will involve an inventory of current initiatives on personal health records, including development of national standards. SOS Rx’s role may be to call for national standards, and accelerate development of such standards. Time frame for this project: 1 year.

4) System Change – Promoting E- Prescribing

This project will review initiatives underway to achieve acceptance and use of E-prescribing for all interested parties, and review standard development. After developing a status report on e-prescribing, a small conference of health care professionals, consumers and E-prescribing vendors will be convened to discuss what needs to be done yet to gain acceptance and use of e-prescribing, including the development of standards. After the conference, a media campaign will be conducted to publicize results of the conference, including educating consumers on E-prescribing. Time frame for this project: 1–2 years.