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Your workers’ compensation and auto-related pharmacy questions answered.
Could Cosentyx serve as an effective treatment option for chronic autoimmune conditions within workers’ compensation?
Are you seeing requests for Cosentyx for your injured employee but are unclear on the application of this medication? Cosentyx, a biologic medication developed by Novartis, is increasingly recognized in the treatment landscape for chronic autoimmune conditions such as plaque psoriasis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.
What potential role does ketamine play in pain management for workers' compensation cases?
Developed in the 1960s as an anesthetic, ketamine quickly became a staple in emergency and battlefield medicine. Its ability to act as a powerful, rapid-acting anesthetic was vital for surgeries and acute care, particularly in situations where other anesthetics were unavailable or impractical. Today, while it remains U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved for anesthesia, ketamine is being used off-label for chronic pain management and mental health disorders, particularly for patients who have not responded to traditional treatments.
What should I know about skeletal muscle relaxants in the treatment of injuries?
Skeletal muscle relaxants are a leading category of prescribed medications in workers’ compensation and elsewhere in health care, often prescribed for elderly patients and as “adjuvants” for treatment of chronic pain in patients with overlapping medical conditions and multiple medications.
How does storing medications ensure their safety and effectiveness until the expiration date?
Proper storage is essential to ensure the potency and safety of medications until their expiration date. Different medications have specific storage needs. Some may require refrigeration, others may need to be kept in a freezer, and certain medications must be protected from light.
Will GLP-1 weight loss drugs become more prevalent in workers’ compensation?
Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists medications, originally designed for diabetes management, have skyrocketed in popularity over the past year as effective drugs for weight loss and obesity. These drugs help individuals control blood sugar, boost weight loss and improve blood pressure.
What are controlled substances and their regulations?
Recently, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) proposed rescheduling marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance. This change follows a review requested by President Biden in 2022 and supported by medical and legal evaluations from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel (OLC).
Meet Our Pharmacists
Meet the Pharmacy Solutions Experts
Mitchell Freeman, Pharm. D.
Senior Vice President & Chief Clinical Officer, Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions
Nikki Wilson, Pharm. D./MBA
Senior Director of Clinical Pharmacy Services, Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions
Cameron Hannum, Pharm. D.
Senior Clinical Pharmacist, Mitchell Pharmacy Solutions
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Our answer: Ask The Pharmacist. Just send an email by clicking the button below and our clinical team will attempt to answer your pressing questions about specific claims and offer clinical expertise to help you make decisions regarding drug-related issues.
workers' comp Pharmacy 101
Basics of Workers' Compensation Pharmacy Benefit Management
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Article Archive
Explore our collection of past articles.
- Who should receive urine drug testing and how often?
- What are the different types of drug recalls?
- What are the advantages and limitations of topical vs. systemic pain medications?
- How does a P&T committee influence a workers' compensation pharmacy program?
- How does genetic testing enhance risk assessment for opioid use disorder (OUD)?
- Beyond convenience, are there advantages in the use of fixed-dose combination drug products?
- What are the various kinds of steroid medications?
- What is the difference between opioid addiction and dependence?
- What are the different types of opioid overdose reversal agents, and how do they compare?
- Could Ozempic be a potential breakthrough in addiction treatment?
- What are biological and biosimilar drugs?
- What implications does tobacco use have on medical treatment and the process of healing in workers’ compensation?
- What's the difference between a drug allergy and a side effect?
- When do drugs become generic?
- How does aging affect drug performance?
- Why would someone be prescribed an opioid to treat opioid addiction?
- Are there cardiovascular considerations related to common medications used in workers' comp?
- How are Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs used when managing or prescribing opioid medications?
- How are seizure drugs used for pain management in workers' comp?
- Are there rules or recommendations for traveling with a controlled substance?
- Are there rules or recommendations for opioid disposal?
- Are there times when it’s better to dispense a brand drug instead of its generic equivalent?