Is pharmacy destined to repeat history?

Every time I turn around someone is talking about the need for change in pharmacy practice. That’s a good thing. In fact, it’s a great thing. I’ve discussed my thoughts in detail on this site before so I don’t feel the need to rehash everything I’ve said. Suffice it to say there is a buzz in the air.

I read an interesting article this morning at the ASHP Intersections website about the expanding role of technicians in pharmacy practice. While the article focuses a bit too heavily on the need for providing better education for technicians to fill this new role, it does make one thing perfectly clear: “As Pharmacists expand their roles and carve out new niches in an era of health care reform, they are counting more and more on highly skilled pharmacy technicians to take on added responsibility.” Well said.

Read more

S.A.L.A.D.

Sound-Alike, Look-Alike Drugs (SALAD) have recently floated to the top of my attention with the release of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) recommended list of Tall Man Letters for look-alike drugs. I mentioned the new list on Twitter which resulted in a short, but interesting conversation with some colleagues.

SALADs have been problematic for quite some time and many solutions have been proposed, including Tall Man Lettering, physical separation of look-alike drugs, printing of both brand and generic names on packaging and storage bins, use of colorful warning labels, and so on and so forth. The problem with all these solutions is human involvement. Working in acute care pharmacy has taught me over and over again that all the above systems may decrease error, but certainly don’t eliminate them.

Read more