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Tria Health has “20% of members drive 80% of health care costs. These members typically have chronic conditions that require medication for effective management. However, research has shown that 50% of people don’t take their medication as prescribed which elevates total health care costs. Our proven solution controls costs and improves health for an employer’s member base, like those in the coalition, so we are excited about this partnership,” said Jessica Lea, CEO, Tria Health. “Partnering with Tria Health aligns with our commitment to identify and deliver solutions that control health care costs and improve health outcomes of our members,” said Troy Ross, president of MACHC. With specially trained pharmacists, Tria engages with high-risk, high cost members to discuss medications and lifestyle unique to each individual. They provide necessary education and coordination of care to improve condition management, resulting in lower costs and improved health outcomes for an employer’s members. For more information, visit triahealth.com or follow them on LinkedIn. About Mid-America Coalition on Health Care TheMid-America Coalition on Health Care is one of the oldest and largest health care business coalitions in the country, representing over 500,000 covered lives. MACHC is an employer-driven, non-profit collaboration of all health care stakeholders in the bi-state Kansas City region, seeking to improve the health and wellness of employees, their families and their community, and to develop strategies to reduce health care costs. Members include major employers, health plans, physicians, hospitals, brokers and consultants, academic institutions, public health, government, and pharmaceutical companies. www.MACHC.org.

Image Source: iStock.com/DNY59 Taking your medications as prescribed is very important in making sure your medications work effectively. At Tria Health, our goal is to make sure you receive the best results from your medications, and sometimes, this means knowing more than just what’s on the label of your prescription bottle. Here are some guidelines for properly storing and disposing your medications. Storing Your Medications: Keep medications in their original container. Keep away from light and heat. Do not store medications in the bathroom cabinet; can keep it in the bedroom or kitchen cabinets. If keeping it in the kitchen, make sure it is away from the stove, oven and sink to prevent any humidity or water exposure. Make sure to check the label of your prescription bottle or any other medication bottle to see if there’s any specific storage instructions such as refrigeration. Regularly check medications to see if the color has changed or there’s an odor coming from the bottle that is not normal Check expirations of prescription and over-the-counter medications Do not use medications that are expired. These might not be safe and actually be more harmful to your health than helpful. Keep all medications away from children, locked away or in a cabinet where they cannot reach it. Also, do not share any medications meant for you, with anyone else.  Studies have shown that accidental consumption of drugs not meant for that person can lead to toxicity and even death. Disposing Your Medications: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day: This event happens twice a year and it is a place for the public to dispose of their medicines as well as learn more about medications and their potential for abuse. The next National Prescription Drug Take Back Day will occur on October 28, 2017. Check back on DEA website (DEA National Take-Back Initiative) closer to the event date, for a location near you. There is also a drug disposal box/area at some local police stations. Not every police station has one so call the office to confirm before you go. If the above two options do not work for you, you can also dispose of your medications by mixing them with kitty litter or ground coffee. Place this mixture in a sealed plastic bag. Then throw the plastic bag in your normal trash can. If disposing of prescription bottles with your personal information on it, make sure to cross out all your personal information as well as the drug name, before disposing of it in the trash. If you have questions about your medications, call the Tria Help Desk at 1.888.799.8742.

Image Source: iStock.com/lakovKalinin Summer is here! Not only does this mean more outdoor activities but also more exposure to the sun. The sun produces ultraviolet (UV) radiation which can lead to sunburn, skin aging, and skin cancer, the most common type of cancer. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation, 90% of non-melanoma skin cancers and 86% of melanomas are associated with exposure to UV radiation from the sun. Here are some helpful tips to keep you and your family protected in the summer sun. Which sunscreen do I choose? The American Academy of Dermatology recommends choosing a sunscreen with: Sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or higher Broad-spectrum protection against UV rays Water resistance How do I apply sunscreen? Apply sunscreen first if going to wear insect repellent or make-up. Apply sunscreen 15 to 30 minutes to sun-exposed skin before sun exposure and reapply sunscreen at least every 2 hours. Reapply sunscreen more often when swimming or sweating even with sunscreens labeled as “water resistant” or “very water resistant.” The “teaspoonful rule” is the application of 1 teaspoon of sunscreen to the face and neck, 2 teaspoons to the front and back torso, 1 teaspoon to each upper extremity, and 2 teaspoons to each lower extremity. What else can I do to protect my skin? Wear sun-protective clothing, such as dark colors, long-sleeve shirts, long pants, hats and sunglasses. Avoid sun exposure or seek shade between 10 AM and 4 PM when the UV light is the strongest. Check the expiration date of the sunscreen. Avoid tanning beds. Have a safe and fun summer!

Look no further. A lot of information about your medication comes on every prescription bottle label — information that will ensure your medications are safe and effective. Every time you pick up a prescription at the pharmacy, you should read over the label to make sure you have the correct medication and understand all the directions. Every pharmacy does their labels a little differently, but the information is all the same. Here’s what you need to know about your prescription label. Name The label should show your name prominently. Pharmacy errors can occur, so be sure you received your medication, and not someone else’s. Instructions Pay close attention to the instructions on the label, and only take the medication as directed by the label. If you’re concerned about the instructions, ask the pharmacist to clarify or call the Tria Help Desk to speak with a pharmacist. Refills You’ll continue to take some medications even after the medicine in the bottle runs out. When this occurs you will need refills to continue the medication. Pharmacy name and phone number If you need to speak with your retail pharmacist, this is the number to call. They can answer questions, make recommendations and help with getting your medication refilled. They can also help with contacting your doctor’s office when your prescription runs out. Prescription number Every prescription has a number that identifies the patient and the medication within the pharmacy’s system. When requesting refills, or speaking to the pharmacy staff about your medication, be sure and have this number available to expedite the process. Description Verify that the bottle contains the drug your doctor said you would be taking.  Prescription labels always include a description of the shape and color of the medicine. Expiration date Prescriptions written by the doctor are only valid for a certain length of time before they expire. Expiration dates are set by each state’s Board of Pharmacy, and they vary for different medications. Be sure and look at the label for this date, once the prescription is expired, the medication is no longer guaranteed to be safe, and all refills will be void. Discard date On the label will be a discard date for your medication. After the date listed on the label the medication should be discarded in an appropriate manner, and not taken by any person. Some medication will cause harm if they are taken past their expiration date, so always be sure your medication is not expired prior to taking. (Written by Tria Health Pharmacy Student Intern Seth Alley, Pharm.D. Candidate at the UMKC School of Pharmacy) #prescription #discarddate #retailpharmacy #prescriptionlabel #refills #prescriptionbottle #expirationdate

Make sure you are prepped and ready as the pollen count rises this season! We want to help by breaking down some important items to consider when picking an over the counter nasal spray. Nasal sprays are very popular due to their convenience and effectiveness. There are several types of nasal sprays, including: Decongestants (Afrin, etc) Antihistamines (Patanase, by prescription only) Nasal Steroid sprays (Flonase, etc). The first choice for treatment of seasonal allergies are nasal steroid sprays which contain a safe, topical steroid as the active ingredient.  They work to decrease swelling which causes congestion, watery drippy nose and sneezing. The nasal steroid sprays are most effective when used daily for the season.  It may take a few weeks for the spray to begin working fully, but patience pays off. This allergy season there are two new nasal steroid sprays that are new to the shelves, Flonase Sensimist and ClariSpray.  Both products contain fluticasone.  Despite looking like Claritin in terms of the colors, packaging and graphics, the ClariSpray does contain a steroid (similar to Flonase) not an antihistamine.  It is important to review the active ingredient labels when purchasing over the counter products.  This will prevent you from getting twice the amount of medication by taking similar ingredients. Other available products over the counter include Rhinocort Allergy, Flonase Allergy Relief and Nasacort Allergy, along with the various generic store versions for many of these branded products above.  As always, you should reach out to your pharmacist to discuss what options are best depending on your symptoms. #Allergies #SeasonalAllergies

Colorectal Cancer is the second most common cause of US Cancer deaths.  Early stages of Colorectal Cancer have no signs or symptoms.  Warning signs usually indicate more advanced progress of the disease and can include rectal bleeding, change in bowel habits, cramping in the lower abdomen and blood in the stool. What should you do? Talk to your doctor at your annual check up to see if a simple stool test at home is the right screening for you.  Beginning at the age of 50, those with no symptoms should consider Colonoscopy every 10 years.  Talk to your doctor about the right method for screening for you!  You can do your part to prevent colorectal cancer.  Prevention of colorectal cancer includes physical activity for 30 minutes most days of the week, limit intake of high saturated fat foods, eliminate tobacco use, limit alcohol intake and eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.  Visit www.cancer.org for more information. #Cancer #ColorectalCancer

Diabetes affects approximately every 1 in 11 people in the United States. As a very difficult condition to manage, it’s important for these patients to receive coordinated and personalized care. Here’s an example of how a Tria clinical pharmacist identified an issue with a patient’s medications that saved him and the plan more than an annual estimated $23,000. Identified Issue: A Tria patient with diabetes was having difficulty affording his medications, and as a result he was non-compliant with his insulin therapy.  He was prescribed a brand name medication for his chronic pain that cost him more than $100 dollars per month.  Due to the cost of his pain medications, the was not taking his insulin as prescribed and his HgA1C was over 10%. Tria Solution: Tria Pharmacist recommended generic alternatives for his pain and a lower costing alternative for his insulin therapy.  The patient’s physicians agreed with the changes, and the patient started using his insulin as prescribed and his pain was well controlled. The Result? After three months of adherence with his insulin regimen, his HgA1C improved from 10.8% to 7.7%…a healthy and compliant patient! #Diabetes

The flu shot is recommended every year for EVERYONE 6 months and older. It is up to 75% effective at preventing influenza in those who get the vaccine. Recently a new kind of flu vaccine became available, FluMist, which is the nasal spray version. This type of flu vaccine has been widely used since its creation, especially in children as it is not an intramuscular injection (into the shoulder). Unfortunately, the previous few flu seasons have shown this type of vaccination is less effective than the shots. Because of this information, it is recommended NOT to use FluMist as a means of influenza vaccination this year. Review the updated influenza vaccination recommendations from the CDC to help keep your family safe this season. Learn how to spot the warning signs of the flu in your children by watching this video. #FluSeason #flushot #fluvaccine #flumist

In the United States, diabetes affects approximately 29.1 million people (as of 2012) and is the 7th leading cause of death. The incidence of diabetes is increasing due to many factors, including an increased prevalence of obesity and physical inactivity. Timely screening can lead to early diagnosis which slows disease progression and ultimately long-term complications such as heart attacks, neuropathy, and irreversible kidney damage, among others. Studies have shown that those who do not undergo appropriate screening can have high blood sugar for 9 to 12 years without showing any signs or symptoms. Because of this, screening is very important if you have risk factors, even if you aren’t showing symptoms of having high blood sugar. The following recommendation by the ADA (American Diabetes Association) exists: ALL adults who fit the BMI criteria and 1 or more risk factors should be screened at any age Adults who meet the BMI criteria without an extra risk factor can wait until 45 years old for screening Testing should be repeated at least every 3 years for those with normal results What are the risk factors? If you have any of the following risk factors, download Tria’s Diabetes Risk Assessment form and talk to your doctor to see if additional testing is needed. BMI greater than or equal to 25 (for Asian Americans the cut-off is greater than or equal to 23) Physical inactivity Parent(s) or sibling(s) with diabetes High-risk race/ethnicity (African America, Latino, Native American, Asian American, Pacific Islander) You have given birth to a baby weighing more than 9 lbs You had gestational diabetes High blood pressure (above 140/90 mmHg) or you take medications to treat high blood pressure HDL cholesterol (the “good cholesterol”) less than 35 mg/dL Diagnosis of polycystic ovarian syndrome You have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes on previous testing You have other clinical conditions associated with insulin resistance You have a history of cardiovascular disease For additional resources on diabetes, visit the American Diabetes Association. #Diabetes

PBM industry veteran, Larkin O’Keefe brings his expertise to Tria Health Overland Park, KS (August 2, 2016) – Tria Health, the nation’s leading medication management solution, has named Larkin O’Keefe as its new President. O’Keefe brings more than 20 years of experience in sales and spent 17 years in the PBM industry as co-founder and CEO of MedTrak Services. During his leadership, MedTrak Services was honored as one of Kansas City’s fastest growing companies for 12 years. In his new role at Tria Health, O’Keefe will use his expertise to focus on company growth by leading its sales and marketing team. “We are very excited to have Larkin join our team,” said Jessica Lea, CEO of Tria Health. “His expertise in the pharmacy benefits industry and sales leadership will help foster Tria’s growth and stay competitive in this marketplace.” O’Keefe serves as an active member of Tria Health’s Board of Directors and helped develop Tria’s innovative business model when the company launched in 2009. “I’m looking forward to taking a more active role in Tria’s day-to-day operations,” said O’Keefe. “Tria Health has a unique product that can have a substantial impact on a company’s bottom line by helping them reduce health care expenses, keep employees healthy and make sure they’re getting the best value from their PBM.” Larkin graduated from the University of Kansas and worked in health care sales for several years prior to starting MedTrak Services and Tria Health.  Larkin is professionally active in the health care community serving on the multiple boards within the Kansas City community, including the Visiting Nurse Association of KC (VNA) and Tria Health. About Tria Health: Tria Health provides personalized chronic care management to help employers mitigate risks and control health care costs. Tria’s clinically-trained pharmacists focus on resolving the overall mismanagement of medications and gaps in care to eliminate unnecessary costs and health risks. Learn more about Tria Health by visiting www.triahealth.com. Tria Health Contact: Katherine Gregg Director of Marketing & Communications kgregg@triahealth.com 913.322.8473 #TriaHealth

Managing multiple medications and chronic conditions can be a challenge; especially when you have a fulltime job, family and multiple schedules to manage as well. The thought of adding another clinician to your care team may seem like a burden, however, speaking with a pharmacist about your medications is a very important step that will save you time and money in the long-run! Tria Health Patient Success Story Patient: 55-year old female Conditions: Diabetes & Hypertension Number of Medications: 8 This patient followed-up with all of her routine health care checkups and filled her medications at the same pharmacy. Despite her due diligence, our Tria pharmacist discovered two significant medication-related issues while speaking with the patient. Identified Medication Issues: The patient was inadvertently taking losartan, HCTZ, and the combination tablet of losartan/HCTZ to treat hypertension. She was supposed to stop the combination tablet over 6 months ago but due to confusion, the patient continued to take it. The result of this unnecessary duplication exceeds the maximum recommended daily dose of losartan.  To resolve this issue, the Tria pharmacist called the patient’s physician and pharmacy to confirm the proper regimen. The patient was prescribed glyburide for diabetes and admitted to only using it when her blood sugar was above 200 mg/dl. The Pharmacist educated the patient on the importance of taking this medication twice a day in order to properly control her HgA1C and she agreed to start using it as prescribed. The result? A healthier, better informed patient, and savings due to the elimination of unnecessary medication.

News on opioid overdoses and prescription and illegal opioid abuse is staggering.  Roughly 50 Americans die of an opioid overdose every day.  In March, President Obama unveiled a proposal to increase funding to provide the much needed help for those who are addicted. Part of this new program will increase access and availability to the opioid reversal medication called, Naloxone.  This medication can help reduce overdose fatalities.  Naloxone is currently available by prescription only (Evzio auto-injector and Narcan nasal spray) for patients or families to use in the event of an overdose.  Naloxone can be prescribed to patients taking high doses of opioids for chronic pain that are not addicted, but are concerned for their safety and/or the safety of those close to them in the event of an accidental overdose. All states, except for Missouri, have prescription drug monitoring programs (PMDPs) in place that help pharmacists identify abuse patterns and curtail diversion. Pharmacists in several states are being given the authorization to fill Naloxone without a prescription.  Pharmacists can also assist patients that are interested in tapering down or off their prescription opioids.  Other medications as well as non-pharmaceutical options are available that can help reduce the need for opioids. To read more about the President’s proposal click on the following link: www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/03/29/fact-sheet-obama-administration-announces-additional-actions-address For more information about opioid epidemic check out the National Institute on Drug Abuse. To get treatment for opioid addiction call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) #medicationmanagement #Opioids #TriaHealth