April, 2000
Volume 3
OPERATING ROOM PHARMACY SERVICES
In recognition of their first year of service, this Special
Pharmacy Key provides information regarding the Operating Room Pharmacy at the
University of Kansas Hospital.
The operating room (OR) pharmacy satellite (ext 8-4155)
provides pharmacy services for the second floor operating room, same day
surgery, post anesthesia care unit, burn unit operating room, as well as labor
and delivery operating rooms. The area
is staffed by two pharmacists and two technicians and is open Monday-Friday
from 6 am to 6 pm. After hour pharmacy
services are provided by the central Inpatient Pharmacy (ext 8-2321).
The OR pharmacy staff provides a wide range of distributive
services including preparation of all anesthesia medications, controlled
substances, I.V. admixtures, fluids, and syringes. A pharmacy satellite in the OR decreases the turn-around time for
medication deliveries. In addition,
clinical pharmacists are responsible for reviewing medication regimens and
screening for potential medication order problems, including incorrect dosing,
drug allergies and drug problems. The
OR pharmacy is actively involved in gathering medication use information to
better serve the anesthesia and surgical staff by providing medication kits
that are individualized for specific surgical procedures.
Additionally, the OR pharmacy provides drug information to
the surgical staff and participates in the formulary evaluation of new drug
products in this area. Recently, the OR
pharmacy worked together with the anesthesiology staff to develop prescribing
guidelines for rapacuronium (Raplon) which was approved by the Pharmacy and
Therapeutics Committee.
Because the OR pharmacy represents a unique practice
setting, it has been included as a clinical rotation in the new Pharm D
curriculum at the University of Kansas College of Pharmacy.
In the first year of operation, the OR pharmacy has provided KU Hospital with substantial cost savings. The introduction of the OR pharmacy with improvements in distribution and charging systems has led to improved medication charge capturing of approximately $2.3 million in potential lost charges. This exceeds projected medication charges originally estimated in the proposal for the satellite by nearly 10%. Additionally, drug cost per case has decreased 28% when comparing pre- to post-OR pharmacy satellite.
