Find out how pharmacy leaders break down these data silos with advanced analytical tools that provide visibility, insight, and workflow enhancements, leading to inventory optimization and cost reduction.

Breaking Down Silos with Pharmacy Intelligence

As retail pharmacy continues to expand its critical role in the patient’s healthcare journey, it has become increasingly important to streamline and automate inefficient pharmacy operations to free up pharmacists’ time to focus on patient care. Learn how pharmacies are leveraging advanced digital technologies that enable them to improve patient engagement, optimize revenue performance, and deliver high-value clinical services.

As retail pharmacy continues to expand its critical role in the patient’s healthcare journey, it has become increasingly important to streamline and automate inefficient pharmacy operations to free up pharmacists’ time to focus on patient care. Learn how pharmacies are leveraging advanced digital technologies that enable them to improve patient engagement, optimize revenue performance, and deliver high-value clinical services.

At the Precipice of Retail Pharmacy Transformation

The Operating Room is a dynamic setting. The medications used are high risk and need immediate monitoring and oversight. At any moment, a patient’s condition can turn critical. Find out how pharmacy and anesthesia leaders at Atrium Wake Forest Baptist implemented solutions to help them ensure patient safety, drug availability, and compliance. 

The Operating Room is a dynamic setting. The medications used are high risk and need immediate monitoring and oversight. At any moment, a patient’s condition can turn critical. Find out how pharmacy and anesthesia leaders at Atrium Wake Forest Baptist implemented solutions to help them ensure patient safety, drug availability, and compliance.

Checks & Balances: Medication Management in the OR

Health systems are continuously being challenged to ensure IV preparations are prepared safely and accurately while complying with increasingly complex regulations. As a result, many rely on 503B outsourcing pharmacies to provide the vast majority of their pre-mixed compounded sterile products. But as product shortages and pricing fluctuations in the supply chain become more acute, rather than provide relief, 503Bs actually can put more pressure on pharmacy staffs and budget. Joining host Ken Perez  to discuss are pharmacy leaders who met those challenges by going against the trend – by insourcing their sterile compounding, with a twist. Joseph J. DiCubellis, RPh, MPH, Senior Director of Pharmacy Services for the University of Maryland Medical System and Senior Director of Pharmacy, University of Maryland Medical CenterYevgeniya Kogan-Hardesty, PharmD, BCSCP, Sterile Compounding, Pharmacy Manager, University of Maryland Medical Center

Health systems are continuously being challenged to ensure IV preparations are prepared safely and accurately while complying with increasingly complex regulations. As a result, many rely on 503B outsourcing pharmacies to provide the vast majority of their pre-mixed compounded sterile products. But as product shortages and pricing fluctuations in the supply chain become more acute, rather than provide relief, 503Bs actually can put more pressure on pharmacy staffs and budget. Joining host Ken Perez  to discuss are pharmacy leaders who met those challenges by going against the trend – by insourcing their sterile compounding, with a twist. <ul><li>Joseph J. DiCubellis, RPh, MPH, Senior Director of Pharmacy Services for the University of Maryland Medical System and Senior Director of Pharmacy, University of Maryland Medical Center</li><li>Yevgeniya Kogan-Hardesty, PharmD, BCSCP, Sterile Compounding, Pharmacy Manager, University of Maryland Medical Center</li></ul>

Reverse Your Reliance on 503Bs for Compounded Sterile Products

Persistent labor shortages are forcing health system pharmacy leaders to rethink their operational and clinical choices. Learn how innovative leaders at Owensboro Health are sidestepping labor issues, up-leveling clinical programs, and optimizing medication management processes with advanced robotics and software operated by a dedicated resident expert.

Persistent labor shortages are forcing health system pharmacy leaders to rethink their operational and clinical choices. Learn how innovative leaders at Owensboro Health are sidestepping labor issues, up-leveling clinical programs, and optimizing medication management processes with advanced robotics and software operated by a dedicated resident expert.

Optimizing Pharmacy Talent and Technology at Owensboro Health

You can’t manage what you can’t see. When pharmacy leaders at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their teams made their medication inventories visible through intelligent data solutions, they were able to make better decisions for their patients, workflow, compliance, and financial performance.

You can’t manage what you can’t see. When pharmacy leaders at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their teams made their medication inventories visible through intelligent data solutions, they were able to make better decisions for their patients, workflow, compliance, and financial performance.

Insights and Innovation with Intelligent Pharmacy Data

Medication compounding practices are again under scrutiny from authoritative bodies. And also focusing attention on the benefits of IV workflow and robotic technology. Special guest Kevin Hansen, Assistant Director of Pharmacy at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, sits down for a far-reaching interview. Kevin call for barcode scanning of compounding ingredients as a minimum required standard. And he explains how changing perspectives can lead to greater adoption of compounding technology across health systems.

Medication compounding practices are again under scrutiny from authoritative bodies. And also focusing attention on the benefits of IV workflow and robotic technology. Special guest Kevin Hansen, Assistant Director of Pharmacy at Moses Cone Memorial Hospital, sits down for a far-reaching interview. Kevin call for barcode scanning of compounding ingredients as a minimum required standard. And he explains how changing perspectives can lead to greater adoption of compounding technology across health systems.

First Steps to Compounding Technology

Anesthesia providers need easy access to medications in the operating room. Pharmacy needs to keep medications secure. Achieving that delicate balance in the OR pressure cooker between access and accountability requires an aligned vision, dynamic communications, and enabling, closed-loop technology.

Achieving the Delicate Balance with OR Med Management

Central pharmacy is the hub of care that patients and providers depend on. Which is why pharmacy leaders follow a deliberative, collaborative approach when choosing a medication distribution model. Hear how two pharmacy leaders approached the matter of distribution models, but arrived at very different destinations.

Central pharmacy is the hub of care that patients and providers depend on. Which is why pharmacy leaders follow a deliberative, collaborative approach when choosing a medication distribution model. Hear how two pharmacy leaders approached the matter of distribution models, but arrived at very different destinations.

A Matter of Medication Distribution Models

The 340B Drug Pricing Program continues to prove itself as a vital source of billions of dollars of funding for much needed patient care. Yet, aspects of the program today are facing significant challenges that threaten the very foundation of the program and our safety-net providers. To sort out these legal, policy, and financial complexities, we’re joined by the definitive 340B Program insider, Ted Slafsky. 

The 340B Drug Pricing Program continues to prove itself as a vital source of billions of dollars of funding for much needed patient care. Yet, aspects of the program today are facing significant challenges that threaten the very foundation of the program and our safety-net providers. To sort out these legal, policy, and financial complexities, we’re joined by the definitive 340B Program insider, Ted Slafsky.

Making Sense of Today’s 340B Policy Entanglements

The Future of Pharmacy Podcast, presented by Omnicell, is for health system pharmacists who are tech curious, looking for ways to improve operations, outcomes, and safety, and ultimately gain a better understanding of the future of pharmacy. Join host Ken Perez, Omnicell Vice President of Healthcare Policy, for conversations with industry innovators, healthcare peers, and internal Omnicell experts sharing practical advice, personal experience, and best practices for technology-driven medication management and the quest for zero errors.

Pharmacy dashboards are no longer enough. To manage organizational complexity and make better informed decisions, pharmacy leaders need dynamic intelligence tools. Learn how emerging technologies, including predictive and prescriptive analytics, can take medication management to the next level.

Pharmacy dashboards are no longer enough. To manage organizational complexity and make better informed decisions, pharmacy leaders need dynamic intelligence tools. Learn how emerging technologies, including predictive and prescriptive analytics, can take medication management to the next level.

Get Ready for Data-Driven Medication Management

The Autonomous Pharmacy Advisory Board has launched a free, self-assessment tool to help health system pharmacy leaders determine their current state performance against five key dimensions: safety, efficiency, regulatory compliance, financial performance, and human resource management. Learn how pharmacy leaders from Baptist Health are using their self-assessment results as a strategic tool to chart a pathway to achieving a fully autonomous pharmacy. 

<a href="https://www.autonomouspharmacy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">The Autonomous Pharmacy Advisory Board</a> has launched a <a href="https://www.autonomouspharmacy.com/autonomous-pharmacy-self-assessment/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">free, self-assessment tool</a> to help health system pharmacy leaders determine their current state performance against <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/autonomous-pharmacy-framework-mark-sullivan/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">five key dimensions</a>: safety, efficiency, regulatory compliance, financial performance, and human resource management. Learn how pharmacy leaders from Baptist Health are using their self-assessment results as a strategic tool to chart a pathway to achieving a fully autonomous pharmacy.

The Leader’s Personalized Pathway to the Autonomous Pharmacy

Pharmacy leaders continue to be frustrated by pharmacy technician shortages. In some cases, the labor issues are getting so severe that – ironically – leaders face having to postponing automation projects because they don’t have enough qualified technicians to manage the technology. Learn how pharmacy innovators are overcoming technician turnover headaches with new, subscription models, helping them to realize the full benefits of pharmacy automation.Guests:                                 Matt Baldwin, PharmD, System Pharmacy Director, Aultman Health Foundation Dave Young, PharmD, Network Director of Inpatient Pharmacy, Einstein Healthcare NetworkHost:                     Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, Omnicell

Pharmacy leaders continue to be frustrated by pharmacy technician shortages. In some cases, the labor issues are getting so severe that – ironically – leaders face having to postponing automation projects because they don’t have enough qualified technicians to manage the technology. Learn how pharmacy innovators are overcoming technician turnover headaches with new, subscription models, helping them to realize the full benefits of pharmacy automation.Guests:                                 <ul><li>Matt Baldwin, PharmD, System Pharmacy Director, Aultman Health Foundation </li><li>Dave Young, PharmD, Network Director of Inpatient Pharmacy, Einstein Healthcare Network</li></ul>Host:                     Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, Omnicell

The Cure for Resource Headaches? Central Pharmacy Services

Guest experts:Charles F. McCluskey III, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, System Vice-President Pharmacy Services, OhioHealthJames Nelson, MBA, Manager of Pharmacy Informatics, OhioHealthHost:   Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, Omnicell

Guest experts:<ul><li>Charles F. McCluskey III, PharmD, MBA, BCPS, System Vice-President Pharmacy Services, OhioHealth</li><li>James Nelson, MBA, Manager of Pharmacy Informatics, OhioHealth</li></ul>Host:   Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, Omnicell

All Health System Pharmacy Metrics ARE NOT Created Equal

Learn how health systems can leverage a vibrant, pharmacy-finance partnership to drive successful 340B programs, and allow pharmacy staff more time to focus on patient care. Find out why 340B program management has evolved, the program challenges that health systems still face, and the data and operational complexities that necessitate a cross-functional approach. Guests:                                 Eric Iorfido, PharmD, 340B Program Manager, Penn Highlands DuBois, PACharles Hirner, RPh, Senior Director, Omnicell 340B Operations Host:    Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, Omnicell

Learn how health systems can leverage a vibrant, pharmacy-finance partnership to drive successful 340B programs, and allow pharmacy staff more time to focus on patient care. Find out why 340B program management has evolved, the program challenges that health systems still face, and the data and operational complexities that necessitate a cross-functional approach. Guests:                                 Eric Iorfido, PharmD, 340B Program Manager, Penn Highlands DuBois, PACharles Hirner, RPh, Senior Director, Omnicell 340B Operations Host:    Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, Omnicell

Dynamics of 340B Program Spotlight the Value of Strong Pharmacy-Finance Partnerships

Host:    Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, OmnicellGuest Expert:  Arpit Mehta, PharmD, MPH, MHA, Director of Pharmacy, Allegheny General Hospital Episode HighlightsWhat were some of the supply chain issues you experienced with compounded sterile products (CSPs)?Arpit Mehta: Similar to other facilities across the country, we outsourced a lot of our ready-to-use medications from 503B vendors, primarily critical care drips, such as norepinephrine, phenylephrine, and vasopressin. Also some OR syringes like ephedrine, neostigmine, phenylephrine, succinylcholine, and others. The challenge was balancing demand with inventory on hand to reduce waste. For example, during the winter months, our vasopressin and norepinephrine usage would increase significantly but we couldn’t get the supply that we need. We would compound the medications in our clean rooms, but were constrained by beyond-use dating. This prevented us from putting medications at room temperature in automatic dispensing cabinets or anesthesia carts.  How did these supply chain issues impact operational and clinical decisions?Arpit Mehta: This became a huge inventory management concern. It was a constant struggle to keep up with the demand that we had. Certainly, shortages played a huge role in in hindering our day to day operations—trying to balance inventory versus what we needed, when we needed it. When our 503B vendor went out of business, we switched to another 503B vendor. That company also ultimately went out of business. I would go to our hospital nursing huddle on a daily basis and have to discuss the shortages.  I remember seeing the look on their faces when I told them, “Today we have fentanyl, tomorrow we have dilaudid.”We knew we needed to get ahead of the problem, that we needed to get control over our inventory. After conversations with the VP of Pharmacy and the hospital CEO, we started exploring solutions. What other challenges did you uncover during your analysis?Arpit Mehta: It’s important for us to have standardization in our cleanrooms, so that we are consistently using the same compounding processes, not only in the hospital, but across the health system. That we follow the same beyond-use dating procedures, completing all documentation the same way, and so forth. Standardization allows us to run reports and do data analytics on the back end to improve efficiency, and to ensure safety and quality for all preps across the network. Why did you choose the IV robotics service solution?Arpit Mehta: We were struggling to fill our regular technician positions. We didn’t want an automation solution that required us to rotate a group of technicians through to learn the technology and to compound the medications. We decided on the Omnicell service program that provides the staff to help run the robotics compounding program.The experience has been amazing. It really helped us focus, prioritize, and have technicians dedicated to the robot. They know the robot inside and out. They know the capacity, they can push the capacity to the limits. It’s helped us really expand the program quite a bit.  How did your operational processes change with IV robotics?Arpit Mehta: “If you don’t measure, you don’t know.” That’s the challenge with manual compounding – there’s no way to measure accuracy. With our automated solutions, each prep is measured with gravimetric / volumetric verification. It gives us 100% confidence that everything we compounded in cleanrooms is accurate. Another key is having a dedicated cleanroom supervisor and a well-trained team. It’s helped us to ensure appropriate processes are followed for checking the medications for robot compounding, for the quarantine process, for controlled substance management, and for tracking all production, minimizing waste, and things of that sort.  What has IV robotics solution enabled you to do?Arpit Mehta: The operational benefits have been tremendous. We’re saving a great amount of time because we no longer are trying to figure out what we have on hand and what to compound. Just the shortage management piece has been huge. We’ve been able to produce what we want, when we want, and to reduce waste.From a financial perspective, it’s been a huge success for us. We used to spend about $2.5 million with 503B vendors. By insourcing with the robot and service technicians, just in the last year—and really, it’s only six months of production—we’ve saved almost $700,000. And that’s after paying for the robot and service.Clinically, it’s great because we don’t have to decide whether we were going to use fentanyl today or dilaudid. The clinical team can make that decision, without operational challenges dictating that patient decision.-end-

Host:    Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy and Government Affairs, OmnicellGuest Expert:  Arpit Mehta, PharmD, MPH, MHA, Director of Pharmacy, Allegheny General Hospital Episode HighlightsWhat were some of the supply chain issues you experienced with compounded sterile products (CSPs)?Arpit Mehta: Similar to other facilities across the country, we outsourced a lot of our ready-to-use medications from 503B vendors, primarily critical care drips, such as norepinephrine, phenylephrine, and vasopressin. Also some OR syringes like ephedrine, neostigmine, phenylephrine, succinylcholine, and others. The challenge was balancing demand with inventory on hand to reduce waste. For example, during the winter months, our vasopressin and norepinephrine usage would increase significantly but we couldn’t get the supply that we need. We would compound the medications in our clean rooms, but were constrained by beyond-use dating. This prevented us from putting medications at room temperature in automatic dispensing cabinets or anesthesia carts.  How did these supply chain issues impact operational and clinical decisions?Arpit Mehta: This became a huge inventory management concern. It was a constant struggle to keep up with the demand that we had. Certainly, shortages played a huge role in in hindering our day to day operations—trying to balance inventory versus what we needed, when we needed it. When our 503B vendor went out of business, we switched to another 503B vendor. That company also ultimately went out of business. I would go to our hospital nursing huddle on a daily basis and have to discuss the shortages.  I remember seeing the look on their faces when I told them, “Today we have fentanyl, tomorrow we have dilaudid.”We knew we needed to get ahead of the problem, that we needed to get control over our inventory. After conversations with the VP of Pharmacy and the hospital CEO, we started exploring solutions. What other challenges did you uncover during your analysis?Arpit Mehta: It’s important for us to have standardization in our cleanrooms, so that we are consistently using the same compounding processes, not only in the hospital, but across the health system. That we follow the same beyond-use dating procedures, completing all documentation the same way, and so forth. Standardization allows us to run reports and do data analytics on the back end to improve efficiency, and to ensure safety and quality for all preps across the network. Why did you choose the IV robotics service solution?Arpit Mehta: We were struggling to fill our regular technician positions. We didn’t want an automation solution that required us to rotate a group of technicians through to learn the technology and to compound the medications. We decided on the Omnicell service program that provides the staff to help run the robotics compounding program.The experience has been amazing. It really helped us focus, prioritize, and have technicians dedicated to the robot. They know the robot inside and out. They know the capacity, they can push the capacity to the limits. It’s helped us really expand the program quite a bit.  How did your operational processes change with IV robotics?Arpit Mehta: “If you don’t measure, you don’t know.” That’s the challenge with manual compounding – there’s no way to measure accuracy. With our automated solutions, each prep is measured with gravimetric / volumetric verification. It gives us 100% confidence that everything we compounded in cleanrooms is accurate. Another key is having a dedicated cleanroom supervisor and a well-trained team. It’s helped us to ensure appropriate processes are followed for checking the medications for robot compounding, for the quarantine process, for controlled substance management, and for tracking all production, minimizing waste, and things of that sort.  What has IV robotics solution enabled you to do?Arpit Mehta: The operational benefits have been tremendous. We’re saving a great amount of time because we no longer are trying to figure out what we have on hand and what to compound. Just the shortage management piece has been huge. We’ve been able to produce what we want, when we want, and to reduce waste.From a financial perspective, it’s been a huge success for us. We used to spend about $2.5 million with 503B vendors. By insourcing with the robot and service technicians, just in the last year—and really, it’s only six months of production—we’ve saved almost $700,000. And that’s after paying for the robot and service.Clinically, it’s great because we don’t have to decide whether we were going to use fentanyl today or dilaudid. The clinical team can make that decision, without operational challenges dictating that patient decision.-end-

Allegheny Health Network Innovates IV Medication Management through Robotic Technology

As COVID-19 vaccines become available to the general population, retail pharmacies will play a pivotal role in vaccine administration. Learn how Harps Food Stores is implementing key strategies and following best practice recommendations to prepare for increased workload and required safety precautions. Guests- Duane Jones, BS Pharm, Clinical Program Director and Pharmacy District Manager, Harps Food Stores, Inc.- Mike Cantrell, RPh, Esq., Sr. Director Regional Operations, EnlivenHealth™Hosted by Ken Perez, Vice President of Healthcare Policy, Omnicell

As COVID-19 vaccines become available to the general population, retail pharmacies will play a pivotal role in vaccine administration. Learn how Harps Food Stores is implementing key strategies and following best practice recommendations to prepare for increased workload and required safety precautions. Guests - Duane Jones, BS Pharm, Clinical Program Director and Pharmacy District Manager, Harps Food Stores, Inc. - Mike Cantrell, RPh, Esq., Sr. Director Regional Operations, EnlivenHealth™ Hosted by Ken Perez, Vice President of Healthcare Policy, Omnicell

The COVID Vaccine Is Here–How Should Retail Pharmacies Prepare?

The Future of Pharmacy PodcastEpisode 2Advocates for Safe IV Preparation Practices Share Their InspirationIntroduction Technology-aided processes are proven to be safer and more accurate when compounding sterile products. Yet, studies show that just 1 in 4 hospitals use workflow management systems when compounding sterile products. During this episode, discover how a tragic medication error helped to inspire the formation of THRIV—a safety coalition comprised of healthcare providers, consumers and technology developers. You’ll also learn about THRIV’s technology checklist for best practices, encompassing Workflow Management Software, Barcode Scanning, Volume Verification, Auto Labeling, and Auto Documentation. ParticipantsHost: Ken Perez, Vice President of Healthcare Policy for OmnicellGuest experts:•Mark Neuenschwander, Founding Director, THRIV•Derek Gillespie, BPharm, MBA, Pharmacy Operations Manager, Renown Regional Medical Center HighlightsHow were you personally impacted by an IV medication error?Derek Gillespie: I happened to be the Director of Pharmacy at a hospital where a fatal medication error occurred. I’d like to tell the story just so that everybody understands what occurred and the impact that it had on the family as well as on people working at the hospital....It hits me every year at this time. Loretta did not get to enjoy that Christmas with her two sons and her grandchildren. And she and they did not get to enjoy any further Christmases as a family. Loretta was a vibrant 65-year-old lady, a vibrant member of our community. We lost that person as a result of a preventable medication error. The technician that prepared the admixture and the pharmacist that performed the check did not work another day in healthcare. They chose not to continue their professions going forward. There are similar stories with the nurses involved with administering the drug, and with some of the caregivers that participated in the code for the patient to the ICU. The physician that took care of her after the event as well as the physician that ordered the medications were deeply affected. I spent a lot of time talking to our pharmacists and technicians. As you can imagine, there was a feeling that we had failed the patient and had failed the community. Nobody came to work that day with an intent to harm anyone. In fact, they came with the opposite intent. But we are human beings and we all make errors. Until we have systemsin place everywhere that help us to safely manage sterile compounding preparation, these errors will continue to occur.What does THRIV do?Mark Neuenschwander: Imagine if Delta lost one of every ten bags checked. Or if one in ten Amazon orders that arrived on your porch contained the wrong ingredients. Seminal research from 1997 on IV compounding practices has haunted me for years. A five-hospital study found that 9 percent of compounded preparations contained wrong ingredients and incorrect volumes. I realize 1997 may sound to some like a beyond-use dated study. However, the vast majority of today’s IVs are being prepared essentially the same manual way they were two decades ago, giving us little reason to believe that error rates are lower now than they were then. In our technological world, I find this unconscionable. Bags checked with Delta fail to show up just 0.2 percent of the time and most of these are eventually found. An Amazon executive told me error rates in their fulfillment centers run below 0.1 percent—and both companies continue chasing zero—even though it’s hard to believe that losing a suitcase or shipping a wrong book title or wrong sized T-shirt has harmed a customer. So, two years ago, we formed THRIV—a safety coalition comprised of healthcare providers, consumers and technology developers. With the objective of protecting patients from being harmed and caregivers from unwittingly doing harm—harm which too often stems from compounding errors made in pharmacies when IVs are manually prepared. To get down to or below Delta’s and Amazon’s error rates. What is THRIV’s technology checklist?Mark Neuenschwander: If you have not read Atul Gawande’s book, “The Checklist Manifesto,” you must add it to and check it off your reading list. Gawande brilliantly outlines the science and value of simple manual checklists. In aviation, construction, culinary arts, and ultimately in operating rooms. For instance, “Did everyone scrub in? Was the patient given an antibiotic? Is blood on hand?” Four or five items that Gawande calls the “dumb stuff” which too easily can be overlooked to the detriment of patients. He appeals to healthcare stakeholders to incorporate such lists in their various areas of practice. THRIV has crafted a Technology Checklist, which outlines five criteria we believe IV workflow systems must meet or exceed. When selecting a system, we believe pharmacies should check all five boxes—to avoid accidentally skipping the obvious.Derek Gillespie: Pharmacy leaders also should go to THRIV’s website and tackle the technology checklist, and sign up as a champion for IV accuracy. I made that step. And I think it’s a good place to gauge where you are as an organization. You might be using barcoding, but do you have image capture? And if there’s a gap between your current workflow and the THRIV guidelines, then set up a work plan to close that gap. At Renown, we were unable to buy IV workflow systems. So we optimized what we could do through our electronic medical record. Now, we don’t meet all of THRIV’s checkpoints, and we need to continue to work to achieve that, but in the meantime we are using components of this, and I know that we are saving very serious errors from making their way to the patient. What can pharmacy leaders do?Derek Gillespie: They have to advocate for the use of the software and they have to be consistent about saying it has to be used over the widest scope as possible of medications that are being compounded. I think the first thing that leaders can do is when they go to their budget process or however they advocate their needs to the senior leadership at their organization, they have to put workflow safety systems at the top of their list. It has to be as important as anything else that they’re working on. Once you have completed the conversion to IV workflow systems, and put yourself on the safety system and you start getting data, you can’t imagine how you’ve ever made it without this software. It becomes the most important thing that you do. What are other areas for improvement?Derek Gillespie: If you’re only using IV workflow technology for pediatric and oncology patients, then you’re only protecting pediatric and oncology patients and you’re leaving the rest of your patients at risk. We have used the IV safety software anytime that we put a patient-specific label, not only on an IV bag, but also on some other high-risk medications like vaccines and insulins. And one of the things that I’ve discovered is that our propensity for making errors as human beings is much higher in those areas than even in the IV compounding space. The next area of opportunity is for oral solutions that go to pediatric patients. Whenever you take an oral bottle of medications and you pull up a specific amount into a syringe, you have an opportunity to pull the wrong medication. That’s another medication group I would run through IV workflow software. Really take a look at your current environment to consider how you may be able to improve safety using the technology you already have in place. Every event that you can avoid makes an impact.

The Future of Pharmacy PodcastEpisode 2Advocates for Safe IV Preparation Practices Share Their InspirationIntroduction Technology-aided processes are proven to be safer and more accurate when compounding sterile products. Yet, studies show that just 1 in 4 hospitals use workflow management systems when compounding sterile products. During this episode, discover how a tragic medication error helped to inspire the formation of THRIV—a safety coalition comprised of healthcare providers, consumers and technology developers. You’ll also learn about THRIV’s technology checklist for best practices, encompassing Workflow Management Software, Barcode Scanning, Volume Verification, Auto Labeling, and Auto Documentation. ParticipantsHost: Ken Perez, Vice President of Healthcare Policy for OmnicellGuest experts:•Mark Neuenschwander, Founding Director, THRIV•Derek Gillespie, BPharm, MBA, Pharmacy Operations Manager, Renown Regional Medical Center HighlightsHow were you personally impacted by an IV medication error?Derek Gillespie: I happened to be the Director of Pharmacy at a hospital where a fatal medication error occurred. I’d like to tell the story just so that everybody understands what occurred and the impact that it had on the family as well as on people working at the hospital....It hits me every year at this time. Loretta did not get to enjoy that Christmas with her two sons and her grandchildren. And she and they did not get to enjoy any further Christmases as a family. Loretta was a vibrant 65-year-old lady, a vibrant member of our community. We lost that person as a result of a preventable medication error. The technician that prepared the admixture and the pharmacist that performed the check did not work another day in healthcare. They chose not to continue their professions going forward. There are similar stories with the nurses involved with administering the drug, and with some of the caregivers that participated in the code for the patient to the ICU. The physician that took care of her after the event as well as the physician that ordered the medications were deeply affected. I spent a lot of time talking to our pharmacists and technicians. As you can imagine, there was a feeling that we had failed the patient and had failed the community. Nobody came to work that day with an intent to harm anyone. In fact, they came with the opposite intent. But we are human beings and we all make errors. Until we have systemsin place everywhere that help us to safely manage sterile compounding preparation, these errors will continue to occur.What does THRIV do?Mark Neuenschwander: Imagine if Delta lost one of every ten bags checked. Or if one in ten Amazon orders that arrived on your porch contained the wrong ingredients. Seminal research from 1997 on IV compounding practices has haunted me for years. A five-hospital study found that 9 percent of compounded preparations contained wrong ingredients and incorrect volumes. I realize 1997 may sound to some like a beyond-use dated study. However, the vast majority of today’s IVs are being prepared essentially the same manual way they were two decades ago, giving us little reason to believe that error rates are lower now than they were then. In our technological world, I find this unconscionable. Bags checked with Delta fail to show up just 0.2 percent of the time and most of these are eventually found. An Amazon executive told me error rates in their fulfillment centers run below 0.1 percent—and both companies continue chasing zero—even though it’s hard to believe that losing a suitcase or shipping a wrong book title or wrong sized T-shirt has harmed a customer. So, two years ago, we formed THRIV—a safety coalition comprised of healthcare providers, consumers and technology developers. With the objective of protecting patients from being harmed and caregivers from unwittingly doing harm—harm which too often stems from compounding errors made in pharmacies when IVs are manually prepared. To get down to or below Delta’s and Amazon’s error rates. What is THRIV’s technology checklist?Mark Neuenschwander: If you have not read Atul Gawande’s book, “The Checklist Manifesto,” you must add it to and check it off your reading list. Gawande brilliantly outlines the science and value of simple manual checklists. In aviation, construction, culinary arts, and ultimately in operating rooms. For instance, “Did everyone scrub in? Was the patient given an antibiotic? Is blood on hand?” Four or five items that Gawande calls the “dumb stuff” which too easily can be overlooked to the detriment of patients. He appeals to healthcare stakeholders to incorporate such lists in their various areas of practice. THRIV has crafted a Technology Checklist, which outlines five criteria we believe IV workflow systems must meet or exceed. When selecting a system, we believe pharmacies should check all five boxes—to avoid accidentally skipping the obvious.Derek Gillespie: Pharmacy leaders also should go to THRIV’s website and tackle the technology checklist, and sign up as a champion for IV accuracy. I made that step. And I think it’s a good place to gauge where you are as an organization. You might be using barcoding, but do you have image capture? And if there’s a gap between your current workflow and the THRIV guidelines, then set up a work plan to close that gap. At Renown, we were unable to buy IV workflow systems. So we optimized what we could do through our electronic medical record. Now, we don’t meet all of THRIV’s checkpoints, and we need to continue to work to achieve that, but in the meantime we are using components of this, and I know that we are saving very serious errors from making their way to the patient. What can pharmacy leaders do?Derek Gillespie: They have to advocate for the use of the software and they have to be consistent about saying it has to be used over the widest scope as possible of medications that are being compounded. I think the first thing that leaders can do is when they go to their budget process or however they advocate their needs to the senior leadership at their organization, they have to put workflow safety systems at the top of their list. It has to be as important as anything else that they’re working on. Once you have completed the conversion to IV workflow systems, and put yourself on the safety system and you start getting data, you can’t imagine how you’ve ever made it without this software. It becomes the most important thing that you do. What are other areas for improvement?Derek Gillespie: If you’re only using IV workflow technology for pediatric and oncology patients, then you’re only protecting pediatric and oncology patients and you’re leaving the rest of your patients at risk. We have used the IV safety software anytime that we put a patient-specific label, not only on an IV bag, but also on some other high-risk medications like vaccines and insulins. And one of the things that I’ve discovered is that our propensity for making errors as human beings is much higher in those areas than even in the IV compounding space. The next area of opportunity is for oral solutions that go to pediatric patients. Whenever you take an oral bottle of medications and you pull up a specific amount into a syringe, you have an opportunity to pull the wrong medication. That’s another medication group I would run through IV workflow software. Really take a look at your current environment to consider how you may be able to improve safety using the technology you already have in place. Every event that you can avoid makes an impact.

Advocates for Safe IV Preparation Practices Share Their Inspiration

This episode discusses the Autonomous Pharmacy and what it means for the future of medication management every day. The healthcare industry is facing new challenges while trying to deliver quality patient care. The stress of managing more complex systems in the face of higher expectations continues to grow. A recent study from the National Academy of Medicine reports that up to 54 percent of clinicians are reporting some level of burnout. And that study was conducted before the coronavirus pandemic.  Host: Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy, OmnicellGuests:Jennifer Tryon, PharmD, MS, FASHP, Associate Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer, Wake Forest Baptist HealthJames Stevenson, PharmD, FASHP, FFIP, Vice President, Medication Systems Strategy, Omnicell

This episode discusses the Autonomous Pharmacy and what it means for the future of medication management every day. The healthcare industry is facing new challenges while trying to deliver quality patient care. The stress of managing more complex systems in the face of higher expectations continues to grow. A recent study from the National Academy of Medicine reports that up to 54 percent of clinicians are reporting some level of burnout. And that study was conducted before the coronavirus pandemic. Host: Ken Perez, Vice President, Healthcare Policy, Omnicell Guests: Jennifer Tryon, PharmD, MS, FASHP, Associate Vice President and Chief Pharmacy Officer, Wake Forest Baptist Health James Stevenson, PharmD, FASHP, FFIP, Vice President, Medication Systems Strategy, Omnicell

Planning Your Journey to an Autonomous Pharmacy

The Future of Pharmacy Podcast, presented by Omnicell, is for health system pharmacists who are tech curious, looking for ways to improve operations, outcomes, and safety, and ultimately gain a better understanding of the future of pharmacy. Join host Ken Perez, Omnicell Vice President of Healthcare Policy, for conversations with industry innovators, healthcare peers, and internal Omnicell experts sharing practical advice, personal experience, and best practices for technology-driven medication management and the quest for zero errors.

The Future of Pharmacy, presented by Omnicell

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