Pharmacy Administration, Policy and Regulation Commons^™

Automated Dispensing Cabinet Stocking Schedule And Inventory Management Optimization, Daniel Elkes, Victoria Timmons

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

Prior practice in a 523-bed community hospital required automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) to be replenished daily by early afternoon to ensure accurate drug ordering. Because of the tight time window, technicians frequently refilled ADCs during peak medication administration times. After a positive report from a smaller facility in the health system, the study facility implemented a quality improvement project to optimize the ADCs. This involved new processes of every-other-day ADC replenishment staggered via shift-specific workflows, and a dedicated technician was assigned to optimize ADC inventories.

Methods

Monthly reports of ADC refilling and dispensing transactions were compiled from inpatient, nonprocedural …

Best Practice Proposal To Enhance Application Of The Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (Saar), Jill Butterfield-Cowper

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

A core element of hospital antibiotic stewardship programs is the tracking of outcomes. It is recommended that hospitals do this by reporting to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) Antimicrobial Use (AU) Option. With this, hospitals can access the Standardized Antimicrobial Administration Ratio (SAAR) for various antibiotic groupings and locations. While there are benefits to the SAAR, several limitations reduce the interpretation and utility of SAAR values. In particular, the SAAR cannot inform users of antimicrobial appropriateness. This article describes an antimicrobial days of therapy (DOT) report that was developed by a tele-stewardship infectious diseases pharmacist. This article proposes that …

Characteristics Contributing To A Pharmacy Services Excellence Model In A Large Health System, L. Hayley Burgess, Sara Fletcher, Mandelin K. Cooper, Elizabeth Wiggins, Susan S. Horton, Joan S. Kramer

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Objective

To identify characteristics that contribute to and promote a pharmacy services center of excellence model in a large health system.

Methods

In 2019, a survey was conducted of 161 acute care pharmacy departments of health system-affiliated hospitals. Information captured included pharmacy practice models, pharmacist resource allocation, training of pharmacy residents, postgraduate training and pharmacist certifications. Results were combined with clinical pharmacy metric performance and centralized electronic data to identify features of top performing pharmacy departments.

Results

Survey results were received from 141 of 161 affiliated hospitals (88%). Hospitals with 100 to 299 beds comprised 54% (n = 16 of …

Value Of Systematic Approach To Assess Health-System Pharmacy Services, Sonnia Zambrano, Radha Patel, L. Hayley Burgess, Kimberly Heath

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Health-system pharmacy leaders are tasked with determining key staffing decisions based on evolving patient care needs and present-day staffing capacity. A systematic approach to evaluate patient care needs, current model and potential gaps enables leaders to allocate resources in patient care need expansions or sudden fluctuations of patient volumes. Resource management, preparedness and ongoing maintenance form principles used by pharmacy leaders to create an optimal operational environment and elevate clinical pharmacy services. Use of this approach for multiple sites of care across a large network of health systems resulted in identification and improvement in pharmacist coverage and retention of clinical …

Importance Of Awareness Of Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Heather Ellis, Hale Z. Toklu

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Health care professionals hold the responsibility of reporting any adverse drug reactions in order to learn about new therapy and how best to safely care for our patients. The information derived from case publications and FDA MedWatch reports are essential to accumulate information and increase awareness for the possible risks of new drugs.

Pharmacy Services Reboot Roadmap: Resiliency During The Covid-19 Pandemic, L. Hayley Burgess, Joan S. Kramer, Brian Moran, Mandelin Cooper, Christine Dunn, Edward Murray, Karla M. Miller

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Planning for resumption of patient care services during and following the impact of novel coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) while controlling costs are essential for pharmacy services resiliency. Implementation of a pharmacy services reboot roadmap across a 179 hospital health-system is described. The roadmap encompassed eight key areas: pharmacy leadership, staffing and scheduling, clinical pharmacy services, medication safety, medication supply, regulatory and compliance, team support opportunities, and financial stewardship. A supporting checklist and volume-based staffing plan are included as examples to assist pharmacy leaders in planning optimal pharmacy services support as patient volumes increase, particularly in the emergency department, surgical services and …

The Other Epidemic, Bruce Deighton

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

The epidemic level of opioid abuse in the U.S. population continues to present a major challenge to our society and to the medical profession. Medical education has a significant role in improving screening, diagnosis, appropriate treatment and management of opioid use disorder. Addressing the problem of overprescribing opioids through physician education, surveillance and opioid management has resulted in significant improvement, translating to fewer overdose deaths from prescription opioids. Graduate medical education can increase access to care by training more addiction medicine specialists, and training other physicians to prescribe buprenorphine and provide access to medically assisted care.