Welcome!
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On the Agenda: 
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Southeast Symposium: SoutheastSymposium
Event Details

We invite our network members in the Southeastern states to join us on April 25-26 in Nashville, TN. 

The Southeast Symposium is a regional meeting designed exclusively for our network to grow their knowledge. All network members are free to attend, should you be interested and can travel. This symposium will offer opportunities to network, share best practices and connect directly with the Dispensary of Hope team to learn more about the safety-net community. More information will be coming soon, including an agenda for the event. 

Please click here for an updated list of suggested hotels. 
*Due to the NFL Draft hosted in Nashville during the weekend (April 27 - April 28), we recommend booking your hotel soon as prices are set to increase. 


2018 Total Utilization Numbers
As 2018 has ended, our team is excited to share the results of anotherUtilization2018 successful year. We are thankful for the efforts of our network and for continuing to go above and beyond to serve your communities. 

We look forward to helping more patients in our mission to provide medication access to those most vulnerable. 



  



ACC/AHA Cholesterol Guidelines - 2018 UpdatePharmFocus
By: Dominic Paolella, PharmD Candidate 2019
Belmont College of Pharmacy

GUIDELINES UPDATE
The American Heart Association (AHA) and American College of Cardiology (ACC) released an updated guideline for the management of blood cholesterol in November 2018. The purpose of the guideline is to address the practical management of patients with high blood cholesterol. Originally published in 2013, the updated guideline uses a more personalized approach in the treatment of elevated cholesterol. 2 According to the new guideline, physicians should now consider a patient's family history of heart disease and may perform a heart scan before prescribing medications to lower cholesterol. Additionally, physicians should consider whether a patient has diabetes, whether he or she is of an ethnicity considered to be at higher risk, and other factors on top of using the results of a cholesterol test. 3 Click here  for the full 2018 ACC/AHA Management of Blood Cholesterol Guideline.

BACKGROUND
Cholesterol is produced in the body and obtained from foods such as egg yolks, meat, poultry, fish, and dairy. The body uses this substance to build cell membranes, make hormones, and produce substances for fat digestion. People with elevated levels of blood cholesterol are at an increased risk of developing a form heart disease called coronary artery disease. This condition can occur when excess cholesterol in the bloodstream is deposited in the walls of blood vessels. The accumulation of cholesterol forms plaque that narrows and hardens artery walls. This restricts blood flow to the heart, which ultimately places an individual at an increased risk of having a heart attack. There are evidence-based guidelines available that help providers manage elevated cholesterol in patients.

CHOLESTEROL-LOWERING STATINS
Statins are used to reduce blood levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, also known as the "bad cholesterol". 4 This class of medications work directly in the liver to prevent cholesterol from forming. Statins are the only cholesterol-lowering drug class that has been directly associated with a reduction in the risk of heart attack or stroke. 5   The Dispensary of Hope currently has several cholesterol-lowering statin medications available in inventory including: atorvastatin, ezetimibe, fenofibrate,
pravastatin, and simvastatin.

* Dispensary of Hope is hiring!  Should anyone you know be interested,Reminders direct them here to learn more about the positions available!
Metrocare Services Joins the Network!MetrocareServices

Located in Dallas, Texas, Metrocare Services is one of the largest providers of mental health services in North Texas. Serving primarily behavioral and mental health, this system of clinics implemented their first site, Westmoreland Adult Outpatient Clinic, into the Dispensary of Hope network in June of 2018. Since then, three additional clinics have joined our growing network. Director of Pharmacy, Mark Edery, RPh, oversees the pharmacies in the clinics and plays an active role in their outreach to serve more vulnerable patients in the community.

In the last two quarters, the Metrocare Services sites have been able to serve on average 1,300 patients and filled almost 10,000 thirty-day fills from July to December. It is astounding how fast and how much they have been able to serve the Dallas area. The most recent site joined in November of 2018 and their initial numbers increase quarterly. We are excited to see these sites continue to grow as they serve those with mental health diagnosis'.


Click HERE to join our 
Network Community  group!

Logan White, Kasey Gregory, Barin Tayip & Josh Hagar l Account Managers
Phone: 615-736-5075
Dispensary of Hope www.dispensaryofhope.org
2700 Brick Church Pike
Nashville, Tennessee 37207