March 24, 2014:

We have several people planning to attend the next meeting of the Central Minnesota Circle of Health on March 27, 2014 at the St Cloud Public Library Mississippi Room at 11: 45 AM.  Below is the proposed agenda:

Agenda

March 27, 2014, Circle of Health, St Cloud Public Library

 

1) Introduce new attendees

2) Review of the vision, mission, and goals of the Circle of Health

            Description of the nature of this organization

            Application for 501©3 status

            Full-time director, board structure and grant applications and management

3) Discuss Medication Safety – the problems for our health community

4) Outline of a one-year community campaign towards solving our problems

            Which 3-5 main messages do we concentrate on?

            What specific activities would best convey our messages?

            How best to utilize the resources of our local colleges, students and faculty?

            Which media to utilize and how to approach and pay for these?

                        Local health fairs, presentations, radio, newspaper, schools, etc.

            Which grant sources to apply to?

                        CentraCare, Bremer, Medica, St Cloud Community Foundation, Morgan Family

            How often do we need to meet?

            Is the blog the best way to keep all participants up to date with progress?

 

5) Plan the April 22, 2014 kick-off/Spring Forum at SCSU

            Introductions, description of Circle of Health and Medication Safety Campaign

            Presentation of local health experts to describe the problem

            Presentation of a Minnesota ER physician on opioid problems we face now

            Q/A with audience, discussion, initiate the Medication Safety Campaign

6) Next meeting: April 16, 2014 ?

Please be thinking of all the medication safety issues that we should consider for this campaign.  So far, we have looked at the following sub-issues.  We may do better as far as campaign effectiveness to keep our focus on just 3 or 4 main issues, but we will need to discuss this in our group sessions.  Some sub-issues include:

Medication Safety Issues

Circle of Health, 2014

1) Accidental ingestion: children getting into home cabinet meds both Rx and OTC

2) Adults not knowing their list, meds, indications, interactions (Need a Med List)

3) Left-over pills and other meds at home, work, clinics but nowhere to dispose of them

4) Drop-off of old, unwanted meds events, locations.  Regulations abound.

5) Environmental impact of improper dumping of meds. 3-legged frogs, dioxins, etc.

6) ER visits and hospitalizations due to drug reactions, interactions, accidental use, OD

7) Drug abuse and diversion often starts with someone else’s leftover pills

8) Interactions of prescribed Rx with OTC meds, foods, environment, activities

9) Overuse, abuse, diversion of narcotics, opioids, controlled substances

10) Counterfeit pills and other med forms

11) Lack of oversight of local pharmacists when mail order pills arrive

12) Consequences of insurance and formulary restrictions leading to less than ideal Rx

13) High cost of meds leading to patients underdosing or non-compliance

14) ? State-wide Rx list registry like we do for shots list??

15) Abuse of stimulants on campus and schools

16) Dichotomy of “all drugs are bad”, vs. “there’s a drug for everything”.

17) Rising antibiotic resistance from overuse or inappropriate prescribing

Please call Mandy to RSVP for this March 27 meeting at 320-252-8550.  You can also RSVP for the evening Campaign Kick-off/Spring Forum on April 22 at St Cloud State University.  We will have an emergency physician expert from Minneapolis speaking on opioid prescribing and use problems and some presentations on our Medication Safety Campaign for 2014.