Pharmacy Practice
Today’s sterile compounding climate is a lesson on availability cascades
I’ve been slowly reading ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’, a best-selling book by Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Prize winning psychologist and economist known for his work on the psychology of judgment and decision-making. The book summarizes behavioral science research conducted by Kahneman. The recurring theme of the book is what the author defines as two modes […]
Posted in Medication Safety, Pharmacy Practice | Tagged IV ROOM, Patient Safety, Pharmacy Practice, Sterile Compounding | Permalink | Leave a response
Chapter 8: First things first
Several years ago, shortly after I was let go from Talyst, I found myself with some free time on my hands. I started writing a book. The book was titled ‘Making the right choice: Helping pharmacies make smart decisions about automation and technology’. Like many books I’ve started, it remains unfinished. I don’t think I’ve […]
Posted in Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Technology | Tagged Pharmacy, Pharmacy Practice, Projects | Permalink | Leave a response
Disruptive technologies in pharmacy, reality or myth?
There was an interesting thread in one of the ASHP practice forums recently. Someone asked whether or not pharmacists were “ready for the future that the opportunities these disruptive technologies offer”. This in reference to technologies that they saw in the exhibit hall at ASHP Midyear. The simple answer is no. Pharmacists are barely ready […]
Posted in Pharmacy Informatics, Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Technology | Tagged Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Technology | Permalink
ASHP Midyear 2018: Initial Thoughts
I recently returned from the 2018 ASHP Midyear Clinical Meeting, i.e. “Midyear” in Anaheim, CA. This year was a bit different for me as it was the first time in many years that I attended the meeting as a regular pharmacist, i.e. not tied to a pharmacy automation company as an employee or as a […]
Posted in Pharmacy Practice | Tagged ASHP, IV ROOM, Patient Safety, Pharmacy Automation, Pharmacy Practice, RFID | Permalink | Leave a response
Building a sterile compounding space in California – Regulatory Hurdles
For almost a year, I’ve been working as a ‘Pharmacy Project Manager’ on a large healthcare system project to bring all their pharmacy sterile compounding spaces — a.k.a. Cleanrooms, SCA’s, C-SCA’s, etc. — into compliance with USP General Chapters <797> and <800>. Some areas have been remodeled while others have simply been scrapped in favor […]
Posted in Pharmacy Practice | Tagged IV ROOM, Pharmacy Practice, Regulation, USP 797, USP 800 | Permalink | Leave a response
Cool pharmacy cleanroom tech: Altro Whiterock
I’m sure you’re all familiar with USP <797> requirements for ceilings, wall, and floors in a pharmacy cleanroom, a.k.a. IV room. According to the current chapter: The surfaces of ceilings, walls, floors, fixtures, shelving, counters, and cabinets in the buffer area shall be smooth, impervious, free from cracks and crevices, and nonshedding, thereby promoting cleanability and […]
Posted in Pharmacy Practice | Tagged Cool Stuff, IV ROOM | Permalink | Leave a response
Mobile compounding units, a.k.a. sterile compounding trailers
Construction on pharmacy cleanrooms is at an all-time high in California. Every hospital I know is either renovating a sterile compounding area — cleanroom or SCA — or building a new one. Why? Because of USP General Chapter <800>, of course. Never have I seen so little cost so much. That little 19-page document has […]
Posted in Cool Technology, Pharmacy Practice | Tagged IV ROOM, Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Remodel, Pharmacy Technology, USP 800 | Permalink | 2 Responses
Robots in the IV room, still not ready for prime time
I love pharmacy IV room workflow and technology, but I don’t get to talk about it much anymore. Most of my conversations these days are focused on IV room regulation, i.e. compliance with USP <797>/<800> and Board of Pharmacy rules. So you can imagine my surprise when two people approached me on two completely different […]
Posted in Pharmacy Informatics, Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Technology | Tagged IV ROOM, Pharmacy Automation, Pharmacy Technology, Robotics | Permalink | 6 Responses
USP Announces Intent to Postpone Official Date of USP Chapter <800>
In a notice posted last Friday, USP announced its intention to postpone the official date of USP Chapter <800> — Hazardous Drugs — Handling in Healthcare Settings. According to the notice: “The intent of this postponement is to align the official date of General Chapter <800> with the official date of the next revision of […]
Posted in Pharmacy Practice | Tagged IV ROOM, Pharmacy Practice, USP 800 | Permalink | 1 Response
It’s time to disrupt pharmacist order verification
Several years ago there was a debate over the long-time practice of having pharmacists review all medication orders prior to administration; referred to as nearly universal prospective order review (NUPOR).(1) At the heart of the debate was whether or not such a process was still relevant in the changing face of healthcare, i.e. do pharmacist […]
Posted in Pharmacy Practice | Tagged EHR, Patient Safety, Pharmacy Practice | Permalink | 2 Responses