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It’s the time of year for New Year’s resolutions—or, more accurately, the time that most people have given up on those resolutions. You know the kind of resolutions we mean: “I’ll exercise more”, “I’ll start eating better and watch my portion sizes”, “I’ll quit smoking”. To ditch the resolutions by mid-January is par for the course. We understand, change is hard. However, your friends at Tria Health want to help you take back control of your resolutions and your health—and deliver the why behind it. These lifestyle changes like losing weight, eating well-balanced nutritional meals and exercising can prevent chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease and some cancers. In fact, these lifestyle changes are part of the recommendations our pharmacists are making to our patients through our Pharmacy Advocate Program. Tria Health’s Pharmacy Advocate program helps people with Chronic Conditions In addition to lifestyle changes, most chronic conditions require medication to effectively treat and manage. Tria Health’s pharmacists make sure patients are receiving the best benefits from their medications. They work with patients and their physicians to identify, prevent and resolve drug therapy problem’s related to a patient’s medications. Tria Health’s pharmacists provide one-on-one telephonic counseling for members to discuss how lifestyle and medication impact chronic conditions. They provide valuable, clinically based information on how to improve your health. And, they will coordinate any recommendations with the members’ physician and/or pharmacy. You Have the Power to Prevent Chronic Disease The CDC reports that, “chronic diseases and conditions—such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and arthritis—are among the most common, costly, and preventable of all health problems.” This year, and always, we encourage you to resolve to live a healthy lifestyle. These lifestyle changes will help you feel better today—and for many tomorrow’s: Get to and stay at a healthy weight. Eat a nutritious diet of whole foods. Watch your portion sizes. Be active. Quit smoking (and other tobacco products). Limit your alcohol use. Change IS hard, but if you consider the possibility of preventing chronic disease, it’s an easy decision to attempt to make these lifestyle changes. Your friends at Tria Health hope you will resolve to commit to living a healthy lifestyle to prevent chronic conditions. For more information on CCM, please visit our website at www.triahealth.com or call our help desk at 1.888.799.8742 #PreventChronicDisease #healthylifestyle #MedicationTherapyManagement #ChronicConditionManagement #NewYearsResolutions

In extreme winter weather conditions, your friends at Tria Health want to provide you with some tips to keep yourselves and your medications safe this winter. Medication Storage Is Important for Safety Most medications should be stored at room temperature (between 68 and 77 degrees Farenheit). However, some medications have specific storage instructions and most perscription and over-the-counter medications come with inserts that detail safety and storage guidelines. There are commonly perscribed medications that require specific storage requirements. Some examples include: Injectable drugs Inhaled medications Eye Drops Nasal Sprays Gels and Creams For information on storage requirements for these, and many other medications, you may visit the National Institue of Health drug information website. When Medications Aren’t Stored Properly They Can Lose Effectiveness Prescriptions that are subjected to extreme cold (or hot) temperatures can lose their effectiveness before their expiration date. For this reason, you should always take necessary precautions to avoid storing medications in the car, on a windowsill or in a garage. You should also be aware that many medications can also be affected by exposure to direct sunlight. There are Signs to Determine if Medications Have Been Exposed to Extreme Temperatures In some cases, you will be able to recognize when your medications have been exposed to extreme temperatures. However, a medication may or may not show outward signs of temparture damage. Should you notice any of these signs, you should contact your Pharmacist: Strange odor Discoloration Harder or softer to the touch Pills that are cracked, chipped or stuck together Creams that appear seperated Insulin (or other injectables) with visible “crystals” Pharmacists Will Almost Always Have the Right Answer! The best response if you feel your medications may have been comprimised is to talk to your Pharmacist—or a Tria Health Pharmacist, if you’re one of our members. A pharmacist will be able to tell you wheter the medication efficacy has been comprimised—and should even be able to help you order a replacement prescription. #MedicationSafety #medicationstorage

Today is the perfect time to learn more about the impact your pharmacist has on the health care system and what they can do for you. PHARMACISTS ARE MEDICATION EXPERTS Pharmacists are trained on a wide variety of different disease states, but their specialty focuses on how medications used to treat those diseases affect your health. They understand how medications work and identify medication interactions and problems, including those involving over-the-counter medications. A pharmacist has the ability to look at all of your prescription medications as a whole to determine if your medications are safe, appropriate and effective to manage your health condition(s). They may also be able to assess if you’re taking medications you no longer need, if you have therapy duplication, if you’re missing a certain medication that is proven to help your specific condition(s), or if you’re taking something that could potentially be harmful to your health. The pharmacist may also be able to suggest alternative drug options to lessen side effects, or reduce your drug costs. PHARMACISTS ARE THE MOST ACCESSIBLE HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS Pharmacists are often available when other health care providers are not, and most often do not require you to schedule an appointment to ask questions about your healthcare needs. PHARMACISTS PROVIDE MUCH MORE THAN MEDICATION DISPENSING Aside from dispensing medications, pharmacists can provide excellent counselling services about all medications (including herbal supplements) and a variety of different health conditions. Pharmacists play a major role in monitoring or managing multiple chronic conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, weight loss, and tobacco use. In fact, it has been proven that patients have better overall health outcomes if a pharmacist is involved on their healthcare team. Pharmacists are also a major resource for administering vaccines to adults 12 years or older. HOW TRIA HEALTH PHARMACISTS CAN HELP YOU If you have one or more chronic conditions and take multiple medications, Tria Health has a Pharmacy Advocate Program available for you. The PA program offers one-on-one confidential counseling with a Tria Pharmacist to discuss how effective your medications are in treating your conditions. Your Tria Pharmacist will work with you and your physicians to reduce the risk of medication-related problems. Want to learn more about Tria Health Pharmacists? Call us toll-free at 1.888.799.8742 or visit our website at www.triahealth.com. #medication #MedicationExperts #NationalPharmacistDay #Pharmacists

In January, every year since 1970, the American Red Cross celebrates National Blood Donor Month to recognize the lifesaving contribution of blood and platelet donors. The month of January was selected to attempt to increase blood and platelet donations during winter months. Winter is one of the most challenging times to collect blood donations to meet ongoing patient needs. During winter months, inclement weather can lead to cancelled or postponed blood drives, and seasonal illnesses, like the flu, can cause donors to be temporarily unavailable to donate. This month, and throughout the year, your friends at Tria Health encourage you to roll up a sleeve and give back to those in need. The Benefits of Donating Blood The American Red Cross outlines the benefits of donating blood: It feels great to donate! You get free juice and delicious cookies. It’s something you can spare – most people have blood to spare… yet, there is still not enough to go around. You will help ensure blood is on the shelf when needed – most people don’t think they’ll ever need blood, but many do. You will be someone’s hero – in fact, you could help save more than one life with just one donation. How to Donate Blood Blood donation appointments can be made by downloading the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting www.redcrossblood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or to receive more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. All blood types are accepted for donation—in fact, all blood types are needed, appreciated and could save multiple lives! #AmericanRedCross #DonateBlood #NationalBloodDonorMonth #SaveaLife

Image Source: iStock.com/Creativeye99 We all like saving money, but is it worth saving a buck if it puts your health at risk? Today, more than ever, we are seeing an increase in the number of High Deductible Health Plans. These plans position consumers to assume more of their healthcare costs—especially the cost of their prescription drugs, until their deductible is met. For this reason, we’re seeing more patients seeking lower-costing alternatives outside of their insurance plan, such as $4 generics or the use of copay coupons. The New York Times reports that up to 10 percent of drug transactions – or 400 million prescriptions each year – could fall into this category. Don’t misunderstand, paying a Lower price is always appealing, but there are risks consumers need to understand. Let’s look at an example: Let’s say you normally fill all your prescriptions at one pharmacy, but decide to go to another pharmacy to take advantage of a lower price without using your insurance. The pharmacist won’t have access to other medications you are taking and won’t be able to assist you in identifying potentially dangerous drug interactions. The Tria Health clinical team sees this situation happening too often. This also applies when patients are taking drug samples from their doctor. At Tria Health, our pharmacists are consulting with patients about ALL their medications. By talking individually with patients, the Tria pharmacist can confirm claims data as well as uncover additional medications not paid through insurance in order to develop the best care plan for our patients and avoid drug therapy problems. Are your members at risk of harmful drug interactions? #DrugInteractions #DrugTherapyProblems #PrescriptionCosts

Image Source: iStock.com/macrovector The Tria Health Pharmacists love their careers and the work that they do! They have a unique opportunity to counsel patients about their medical conditions, prescription medications, , over-the-counter medications and supplements, as well as their lifestyle, which all play an important role in managing health. This service is called Chronic Condition Management (CCM). The CCM Difference that Tria Health offers is more comprehensive than medication management or disease management solutions. It is a patient-centered solution that values individual uniqueness and focuses on increasing engagement; improving health outcomes and delivering a return on investment! Because medication plays an important role in chronic condition management, Pharmacists are key to improving health outcomes and, in many cases, saving patients money! Tria Health also offers a patient help desk, so patients may ask pharmacists any medication-related questions. To highlight our fabulous clinical team, we thought we’d take this public and share with you some frequently asked questions and the pharmacists’ answers! Question: When is the best time to take my medicine? Answer: Some medications do have a specific time that is “best” to be most efficacious. For example, a cholesterol lowering medications, such as a “statins”, are best taken at bedtime due to much of the body’s cholesterol synthesis occurring in the evening. Therefore, taking statins at bedtime has the most cholesterol lowering effect. Another example, thyroid medications are best taken on an empty stomach separated from other medications and foods by 30-60 minutes to be best absorbed. Thyroid medications will bind or adhere to other foods and medications which would therefore decrease the absorption. As wonderful as efficacy is, the most important thing is to be as consistent as possible when taking your medications. Consistently taking your medications means taking them the same time each day, with or without food. Our lives can be hectic, between work, kids, volunteering, THE HOLIDAYS, etc. and sometimes remembering to take your medication AT ALL each day, let alone with the most “efficacious” measures, can be a challenge. Medication doses will be adjusted based on your regular and most updated lab work. So, the bottom line is, consistency is key! Question: What can I take for my cough?  It is keeping me up all night. Answer: If cough is productive increase humidity in the bedroom and try to increase fluids.  Delsym or Robitussin 12-hr Cough are both great options at night to suppress cough. They contain dextromethorphan only so you are not getting a bunch of other ingredients that aren’t needed.  Try NOT to suppress a productive cough during the day.  Mucinex during the day can help thin mucus and allow for easier clearing of congestion. Question:  My supplements are all-natural, so they should be totally safe, right? Answer: Not all supplements are safe for all people even though they might be “all-natural”.  Certain supplements or vitamins can increase risk of bleeding or cause interactions with other medications and lead to serious side effects.  It is always a good idea to check with a pharmacist or doctor before starting any vitamins or supplements to ensure they are safe. Tria Health offers solutions to improve cost and care for patients, employers & their broker partners. Do you have a question for a pharmacist? Comment below and they will happily answer! #CCM #FAQs #MedicationTherapy #ChronicConditionManagement #AskAPharmacist

Heartburn isn’t fun—anyone who has had it will tell you that it can be very painful. Heartburn, also known as acid indigestion or acid reflux, is a burning sensation in the central chest or upper central abdomen. The pain sometimes rises in the chest and may radiate to the neck, throat or angle of the jaw. Physicians will often prescribe a Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) to treat chronic heartburn symptoms for their patients. However, these medications are also available over-the-counter, without the careful watch of a physician. Unfortunately, this could be potentially dangerous. In 2010, the FDA issued a safety announcement about PPI’s that stated while PPI’s are effective in treating a variety of gastrointestinal disorders, the long-term use of PPI’s may be harmful to the body. The FDA wants consumers and healthcare professionals to be aware that for many conditions including simple heartburn, PPI’s should only be taken as directed for 14 days, no more than three 14-day treatment courses in one year. Chronic daily use of PPI’s should be limited to serious gastrointestinal disorders such as recurrent bleeding stomach ulcers or erosive esophagitis. If you are taking an over-the-counter PPI, you should carefully read and follow the enclosed instructions. At Tria Health, our pharmacists discuss all medications a patient may be taking—both prescription and over-the-counter. Our pharmacists review PPI use to determine appropriateness of therapy and identify patients that are good candidates for drug discontinuation.  We then work with their physicians to confirm if discontinuation is appropriate and recommend alternative treatment options, when needed. Your friends at Tria Health want to ensure your safety. If you have been taking a PPI long-term, please talk to your physician or pharmacist. #AcidReflux #Heartburn #PPIs #ProtonPumpInhibitors

Image Source: iStock.com/CatLane Established by the CDC in 2005, the week of December 3rd is National Influenza Vaccination Week. During this week, we highlight the importance of continuing flu vaccination through the holiday season and beyond. The Flu is a contagious virus! The flu is the real deal, folks! The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses that infect the nose, throat and lungs. It can cause mild to severe illness and can affect people of all ages, even those in good health. The CDC estimates that: Since 2010, the flu has resulted in between 9.2 million and 35.6 million illnesses each year in the United States. The flu results in between 140,000 and 710,000 hospitalizations each year. Influenza-associated deaths ranged from 12,000 to 56,000 between 2011 – 2013. Protect yourself and get a vaccine! Getting an annual flu vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from this potentially serious disease. A vaccine also protects people around you, especially babies, young children, older people and people with certain chronic conditions. Try to avoid close contact with sick people. Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Avoid touching your T-Zone (eyes, nose and mouth). Wash your hands often with soap and water (or a hand sanitizer with a minimum of 60% alcohol). Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs. Flu shots are available at many locations! Visit your primary care physician (PCP) to get your flu shot today! If you don’t have a PCP, or need to find someplace to go, visit the CDC’s HealthMap Vaccine Finder to find someplace close to home or work. Learn more Visit the CDC’s Frequently Asked Flu Questions 2017-2018 Flu Season to learn what’s new this flu season. For yourself and those around you, Tria Health recommends getting your annual flu vaccine. #flushot #NationalInfluenzaVaccinationWeek #NIVW

This week is National handwashing awareness week. The CDC reports that handwashing is like a “do-it-yourself” vaccine. Regular handwashing is one of the best ways to remove germs, avoid getting sick and prevent spreading germs. Protect yourselves and your family from getting sick by practicing this easy and effective germ-killing exercise. Your immune system will thank you. Your friends at Tria Health would like to share a few tips on handwashing! Stay away from your “T-Zone”! The T-Zone is your eyes, nose and mouth. Do what you can to avoid touching these areas, as getting germs into these areas put you at risk for developing flu-like illnesses. Make sure you’re washing your hands often, but especially during these key times: Before, during and after preparing food Before eating Before and after caring for a sick loved one Before and after treating a wound After using the restroom After changing diapers After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing (or anytime you touch the T-zone) After touching animals After touching trash The proper way to wash your hands Wet your hands first Lather your hands with soap (Make sure you get the backs of your hands, in between fingers and under fingernails) Scrub your hands for a minimum of 20 seconds Rinse your hands well under clean, running water Dry your hands using a clean towel or the air-drying method Good, old-fashioned soap and water is the best way to keep your hands clean. But, if you don’t have soap and water available, the CDC recommends using a hand-sanitizer that is a minimum of 60% alcohol. This week (and always), please remember to wash your hands to reduce the spread of illness. Just say no to germs #CleanHands #NationalHandwashingAwarenessWeek

Image Source: iStock.com/klenova An average Tria Health patient takes 8 prescription medications. Most older Americans take multiple medications each day for a variety of conditions. Typically, when people have multiple chronic conditions, they see multiple prescribing physicians. Do you think those prescribing physicians talk to one another? In many cases, the answer is, unfortunately, no. A new study, called “Improving Health and the Bottom Line: The Case for Health Literacy,” showed how greater health literacy can improve community health, reduce health costs, enhance the quality of care and improve patient and provider experiences.  The lead author of the report, Stan Hudson, said “the relationship between health literacy and health outcomes is very important. We found that low health literacy is a contributing factor for readmission for chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and cancer. Hudson also made a point that “health literacy helps ensure the best quality of care for everyone.” The CDC reports that about half of the adults in the United States have inadequate skills when it comes to understanding their health care options. In another study, National Poll on Healthy Aging found that 1 in 3 who take at least one prescription drug had talked to a health care professional about possible drug interactions. Among those taking six or more medications, less than half had discussed possible drug interactions. Drug interactions could, best case scenario, prevent medicine from absorbing properly. Worst case scenarios put people at risk of blood sugar issues, kidney damage or even death. Due to the variety of prescription and over-the-counter drugs available, even medical professionals are challenged with identifying potential drug interactions. Additionally, 1 in 5 respondents said they had used more than one pharmacy in the past two years (including mail order pharmacies), and 3 in 5 see more than one doctor for their care. While 63% of the respondents said their doctor and pharmacists are responsible for identifying potential drug interactions, only 36% said their pharmacist definitely knew about all their medications when they fill a prescription. Knowledge is Power This is our focus and expertise at Tria Health. Our team works diligently to improve health literacy among our patients. We have found that identifying drug therapy problems, drug interactions and discovering non-adherence issues are only possible by physically speaking with patients. We empower our patients by educating them on all their chronic conditions, their medications and we make recommendations to prescribing physicians to avoid harmful drug interactions and drug therapy problems. This educational approach has proven to reduce hospital readmissions and improve clinical outcomes for chronic conditions. This helps our patients live healthier lives and helps their employers save on their healthcare costs. Tria Health encourages you to be an advocate for your own healthcare and take the time to learn more about all your prescriptions and over-the-counter medications. Knowledge is power. #DrugInteractions #DrugTherapyProblems #MedicationTherapyManagement #ChronicConditionManagement #Education

World AIDS Day was designated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as December 1st , and this has been in place every year since 1988. The day is dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection, and honoring those who have lost their lives to this disease. Government and health officials throughout the world observe this day and take it as an opportunity to educate others on AIDS prevention and control. Each year we honor a different theme—the 2017 theme is “Increasing Impact through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships.” Tria Health would like to take this opportunity to educate you on a few HIV and AIDS related items. HIV stands for human immunodeficiency virus. It is the virus that can lead to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or AIDS, if not treated. While no effective cure currently exists, with proper medical care, HIV can be managed and controlled. AIDS is the final, and most serious stage of the HIV virus. HIV attacks the body’s immune system. Untreated, HIV makes a person more likely to get other infections or infection-related cancers. The challenge—not all patients are adherent to their treatment or medication regimen. The medicine used to treat HIV is called antiretroviral therapy, or ART. If taken the right way, every day, this medicine can dramatically prolong the lives of many people infected with HIV, keep them healthy, and greatly lower their chance of infecting others. Before the introduction of ART in the mid-1990s, people with HIV could progress to AIDS in just a few years. Today, someone diagnosed with HIV and treated before the disease is far advanced can live nearly as long as someone who does not have HIV. According to a study done by University of California, adherence to ART across a group of patients was only 70%. “Only 6% of patients took their medications at the optimal level for durable virologic and clinical success”. Improving adherence improves health outcomes. Here at Tria Health, that is precisely what our pharmacists do for ALL patients. We help patients understand all their medications, and the importance of adherence—and we make recommendations to improve their adherence to treatment so we can improve their clinical outcomes. This is not possible without physically talking with the patients and understanding their barriers. It is for this reason that Tria Health appreciates this year’s theme, “Increasing Impact through Transparency, Accountability, and Partnerships.” Tria Health is honored to partner with our clients to assist them in helping their employees feel better by holding them accountable to their clinical health outcomes. As we approach World AIDS Day on December 1st, please take an opportunity to learn more by visiting https://www.hiv.gov/.

Image Source: iStock.com/shironosov Thanksgiving doesn’t have to sabotage your diet OR your weight! Let’s be honest … we all love mom’s cooking at our holiday celebrations. And, during holiday season we tend to have a lax attitude toward diet and exercise. With more social gatherings, so we’re tempted to eat and drink excess calories. But—if we’re being honest—aren’t these temptations always here? We all have birthdays, weddings and various celebrations throughout the year. So, the truth is, we must be cognizant of these things year-round if we expect to see results from a healthy diet and exercise program. The best advice to be a healthier version of YOU is to follow these tips throughout the year, not just during this holiday season. It is proven that the best way to lose weight, and keep it off, is to adopt real life changes and stick with them. Our clinical team here at Tria Health invite you to enjoy these tips to enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday (and every day) WITHOUT feeling guilty! Be Active Create a calorie deficit by exercising BEFORE you indulge this holiday season! However, this should be a year-round event. The American Heart Association recommends at least 150-minutes of moderate activity each week. An easy way to remember this is 30 minutes at least 5 days a week, but three 10-minute periods of activity are as beneficial to your overall fitness as one 30-minute session. Eat breakfast This Thanksgiving, don’t save up your calories for the main event! Try a light and nutritious breakfast with protein and fiber—this will fill you up and have lasting effects so it’s easier to make better choices about what goes on your plate. This doesn’t just apply to Thanksgiving either. The Mayo Clinic reports that eating breakfast allows you to eat more vitamins and minerals, control your weight and blood sugar, eat less fat and cholesterol and perform better at work. Try Lighter Recipes Whether you’re hosting Thanksgiving dinner or bringing a dish or two to share, try making your recipes a little lighter by using fat-free broth, sugar substitutes, reducing butter and oil, or adding plain yogurt in your creamy casseroles. Our advice for year-round is that healthy food doesn’t have to taste like you’re eating diet food. Yes, focus on the veggies and watch your portions, but for a lifestyle adoption, eat a well-balanced diet. Be Selective Try spending your calories on items that are only available during the holiday season. Or better yet, stick to the lighter options like white turkey meat, plain veggies, roasted sweet potatoes and pumpkin pie. However, if you keep your portions small, eat what you like! Throughout the year, practice prior planning to balance your calories. Know you’re going out with the girls or catching the game with the guys? Eat lighter that day so you don’t have to feel guilty later. Skip the Seconds Try to resist a second helping, and know that you’ll have an extra day of leftovers. Besides, who doesn’t love leftover Thanksgiving dinner? If you practice this all year, what effect might that have on your physique? Savor the Flavor Eating slowly and putting your fork down between bites will help you feel satisfied stopping after your first plate. This works every day, folks—not just on Thanksgiving Day! Go Easy On Alcohol Don’t forget that these calories count too! Try drinking a glass of water in between alcoholic beverages to stay hydrated and feel full—again, all year long! We hope you enjoyed our tips to a healthier you this Thanksgiving. All of us at Tria Health are wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving! Be safe, be well and cheers to a healthier YOU! #Thanksgiving2017 #HealthierMe #ThanksgivingTips #HealthierYou #HealthyEating