Series Programming

Series programming focuses on key aspects of a single topic. These application-based CE sessions build your skills in key areas.

Anticoagulation Series

Get an update on the status of and current issues in implementing the National Patient Safety Goal on anticoagulation. This series will explore issues related to the Surgery Care Improvement Project and the pending venous thromboembolism measures, and will describe the newest anticoagulants and their impact on pharmacy systems and safe anticoagulation.

National Patient Safety Goal in Anticoagulation Update 2009

ACPE Program #204-000-09-104-L03 (2.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)

How is it going with the implementation of the National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) on anticoagulation?  Get updated on the status of the NPSG on anticoagulation and approaches to developing a successful program.  Assess where you stand and how you can help your institution improve in the safe use of anticoagulants. 

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the status and most current issues in the implementation of the NPSG on anticoagulation.
2. Assess your progress in implementing the NPSG on anticoagulation.
3. Explain challenges and solutions to improved implementation of the NPSG on anticoagulation.

Perspectives in Preventing and Treating Thrombosis with Anticoagulant Medications

ACPE Program #204-000-09-108-L01P (3.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)

Get the latest on new anticoagulants, expanding the pharmacist's role and challenges with Surgery Care Improvement Project (SCIP) guidelines and upcoming venous thromboembolism (VTE) measures from The Joint Commission.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain select issues related to SCIP and the pending VTE measures.
2. Describe the newest anticoagulants and their impact on pharmacy systems and safe anticoagulation.
3. Describe how to measure impact and adapt the use of anticoagulation therapy.
4. Identify potential roles for pharmacists in managing thromboembolic disease and anticoagulation.

Quality Standards in Clinical Practice Series

Pharmacists are integral to quality care and the best equipped for making key decisions about a patient's drug regimen. Participants will review operating room pharmacy essentials, explore recent changes to the American College of Chest Physicians' (ACCP) guidelines for antithrombotic and thrombolytic therapy, and learn how to prevent death and harm from IV medication errors.

This series was planned in cooperation with the ASHP Quality Improvement Initiative.

Clinical Update for Managers

ACPE Program #204-000-09-113-L01P (2.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)

Has being in management taken you away from the front lines? Feeling out of touch? This session will help bridge the gap. Get the latest clinical pearls most important for managers.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe current key clinical issues impacting pharmacy.
2. Define challenges and solutions in the current clinical arena.
3. Determine clinical applications appropriate to your setting.

Operating Room (OR) Pharmacy Essentials

ACPE Program #204-000-09-124-L01P (2.5 Contact Hours / Application-based)

This session expands upon one of the 2008 Summer Meeting's most popular topics. Come learn more about the mysteries of what goes on behind the double doors. Topics covered will include regulatory issues in the perioperative setting, including The Joint Commission standards and National Patient Safety Goals; the role of computerized/clinical decision support; and roles and opportunities for pharmacists in the OR setting.

A limited number of participants will have the opportunity for short-term mentoring beyond this session in ASHP's new "Extensions into Practice (XIP)" education format.  More information on XIP will be given in the session.

Learning Objectives:

1. Explain the impact of regulatory issues in the perioperative setting on your institution.
2. Define the role your pharmacy can play in developing processes and interpreting data related to automation, surgical preference cards, and anesthesia information systems.
3. Solve cases involving how to effectively perform distribution and non-distribution activities in the operating room.
4. Identify operating room opportunities for pharmacists at your institution.

Physician and Nursing Perspectives on Operating Room (OR) Pharmacy Issues

ACPE Program #204-000-09-128-L01P (2.5 Contact Hours / Application-based)

Get a physician's perspective on current issues in moderate sedation including fospropofol and intraoperative glycemic control. In addition, a nurse will share thoughts on opportunities for pharmacist support in the Postanesthesia Care Unit.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe appropriate use of select drugs for moderate sedation including fospropofol.
2. Explain issues in end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring and appropriate sedation providers.
3. Identify challenges of intraoperative glycemic control in given patient cases.
4. Determine key issues facing Postanesthesia Care Unit nurses and the supportive roles pharmacists can play in this setting.

Surely, You CHEST: Implementing American College of Chest Physicians' 2008 Guidelines for Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy

ACPE Program #204-000-09-118-L01P (2.5 Contact Hours / Application-based)

Find out what you need to know about the recent changes to the American College of Chest Physicians' (ACCP) Guidelines for Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy. Learn how to apply the guidelines in your institution.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe recent changes to American College of Chest Physicians' (ACCP) Guidelines for Antithrombotic and Thrombolytic Therapy.
2. Summarize implications of the guideline changes for your institution.
3. Identify ways to implement guideline changes in your practice.
4. Discuss the overlap of guideline changes with National Patient Safety Goals and venous thromboembolism performance measures.

IV Safety: Preventing Death and Harm from IV Medication Errors

ACPE Program #204-000-09-109-L05P (3.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)

If we know how to prevent harmful or fatal intravenous medication errors, why do they continue to occur? Can a serious IV medication error happen at your organization? What are the essential practices for preventing harm from intravenous medication errors?  Can a diverse group of physicians, nurses, pharmacists, safety experts, industry representatives, and healthcare leaders achieve consensus on the best approach?  Most importantly, what actions are needed to make real and sustained improvements in intravenous medication use safety?  Find out how standardizing concentrations creates savings and efficiencies.

Learning Objectives:

1. Summarize key findings on intravenous medication safety from ASHP's IV Safety Summit.
2. Explain how to plan and conduct an organizational assessment for intravenous medication-use safety.
3. Develop a strategy for organization-wide improvement of the safety of intravenous medication use.

Crash Course: Recent Landmark Papers You Need to Know About

ACPE Program #204-000-09-103-L01P (2.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)

Bring yourself up to date! Get the latest on critical trials you need to know about. Get the scoop about the trials, research, and their implications for your practice.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify current research that is significant for pharmacy practice.
2. Summarize key findings of selected landmark papers.
3. Define implications of the findings for pharmacy practice and your setting.

Informatics Series

Make pharmacy informatics part of your financial crisis management plan.  Explore computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and the electronic health record (EHR) as methods to achieve quality improvement initiatives.  Find out how to optimize medication reconciliation with ePrescribing.  Learn how to save time, improve care, and increase efficiency with clinical surveillance systems. Discover how telepharmacy supports a variety of innovative pharmacy activities. And investigate other innovative ways pharmacy informatics can transform your practice.

Healthcare Informatics: Quality Improvement through CPOE and the Electronic Health Record

ACPE Program #204-000-09-105-L04P (2.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)
ACPE Program #204-000-09-105-L04T

Information technology is viewed as a tool to assist in the improvement of healthcare delivery. It allows for data presentation, collection, and analysis to support healthcare providers. Information technology can also support documentation necessary for regulatory requirements. This session will focus on Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) as a method to achieve quality improvement initiatives facing health systems today.

Learning Objectives:

1. Define quality measures reportable to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, The Joint Commission, and other regulatory agencies and advocacy groups.
2. Describe the role of Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) as an enabling technology for quality improvement initiatives.
3. Determine the role of pharmacy informatics staff in institutional quality improvement initiatives utilizing CPOE.
4. Explain successful and unsuccessful strategies to implement information systems to support Quality Initiative (QI) efforts in your institution.
5. Describe the desirable quality improvement reports of a CPOE information technology implemented as party of a QI effort.

Implementation of New Technology: Planning for the Changing Roles and New Opportunities for Pharmacists and Technicians

ACPE Program #204-000-09-110-L04P (3.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)
ACPE Program #204-000-09-110-L04T

Hospitals are faced with technology implementations, but where are the pharmacy informaticists trained to carry out these projects? What formal training is available? Once your staff has been trained and systems have been implemented, what impact is there on the pharmacy department? Are pharmacists twiddling their thumbs after implementing Computerized Physician Order entry (CPOE), or are they freed up to focus on clinical activities? In this session, learn the status of pharmacy informatics education and training, and identify the impact of technology implementation on pharmacy personnel.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe pharmacy informatics education and training opportunities.
2. Describe the evolving roles of pharmacy informaticists.
3. Explain how to prepare staff for their changing roles necessary for successful technology implementation.
4. Describe the impact of technology implementation on pharmacy personnel.
5. Explain steps for enabling technicians to take on increasing responsibility for managing automation in your pharmacy.

Telepharmacy: Innovative Methods and Increasing Access to Clinical Pharmacy

ACPE Program #204-000-09-114-L04P (2.0 Contact Hours / Application-based)
ACPE Program #204-000-09-114-L04T

Have you explored the possibilities of using information technology to expand and increase access to the clinical services of pharmacists and as a time and cost-saving measure? Telepharmacy has been shown to be successful in supporting medication use over distances large and small. In this session, learn how telepharmacy supports a variety of innovative pharmacy activities, including ICU needs, order entry and review, and specialty clinics.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe examples of successful and innovative uses of telepharmacy to support medication management to increase access to pharmacy services.
2. Explain anticipated cost and time savings that can be achieved through uses of telepharmacy.
3. Identify ways that telepharmacy may be effectively used in your institution.
4. Describe regulatory and organizational barriers to telepharmacy.

Optimizing Medication Reconciliation with ePrescribing (E-Rx)

ACPE Program #204-000-09-119-L04P (2.5 Contact Hours / Application-based)
ACPE Program #204-000-09-119-L04T

Institutions are faced with medication reconciliation requirements. Pharmacy is a key stakeholder and is currently using both paper and electronic methods to document this process. Software applications have been implemented to address the medication reconciliation requirement. At the same time, electronic prescribing for outpatients continues to gain momentum. Come to this session to hear from your colleagues who have successfully addressed medication reconciliation using electronic tools. Get the scoop on electronic prescribing, including a regulatory and vendor update and how it can positively impact the overall medication reconciliation process.  Learn how this can help justify the pharmacist role in these financially challenging times.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe benefits and limitations of electronic tools designed to facilitate medication reconciliation.
2. Summarize the current status of electronic prescribing including usage trends, regulatory issues, the vendor marketplace, and physician incentives.
3. Describe the importance of electronic prescribing and implementation methods for institutional healthcare facilities.
4. Compare and contrast ways that electronic prescribing information can be integrated into the medication reconciliation process.

Facilitating the Use of Barcoding for the Successful Closed-Loop Medication Management System

ACPE Program #204-000-09-123-L04P (2.5 Contact Hours / Application-based)
ACPE Program #204-000-09-123-L04T

One of the first questions to ask regarding barcode medication administration is "repackage in-house or outsource?" Explore financial and other advantages and disadvantages for both options requiring different cost and personnel resources. Pharmacy must ensure that all medications used within the organization have a barcoding solution to ensure the successful use of barcode-enabled medication administration (BCMA). With BCMA representing such a change in the medication-use process, it is critical for pharmacy to have an efficient and effective plan for implementing and maintaining the medication piece of the BCMA system. This session will address the critical planning and preparation steps to ensure 100% medication barcode scanning.

Learning Objectives:

1. Summarize the steps and strategies to prepare the medication-use system for the implementation of a barcode-enabled medication administration (BCMA) system.
2. Explain the advantages and disadvantages for both in-house and outsourced barcode repackaging.
3. Describe the common barriers, challenges, and lessons learned in preparing the medication-use process for BCMA.
4. Explain the various repackaging technologies, resources needed, and ongoing maintenance required.

Seek and IT Shall Find: Clinical Surveillance Systems

ACPE Program #204-000-09-127-L04P (2.5 Contact Hours / Application-based)
ACPE Program #204-000-09-127-L04T

Pharmacists are trained experts. They have considerable knowledge that can improve patient outcomes. Unfortunately, they are often faced with an overwhelming workload and a simultaneously cumbersome method for gathering requisite information to support their clinical decision making. This session will demonstrate how clinical surveillance systems gather, organize, and present information to support care. Learn from your colleagues how they have saved time, improved care, and increased efficiency with clinical surveillance systems.

Learning Objectives:

1. Describe the various available clinical surveillance systems and their functionality.
2. Describe how clinical surveillance systems have been implemented across institutions to support clinical care.
3. Explain how to increase efficiency and improve patient outcomes using clinical surveillance systems.
4. Explain the impact of clinical surveillance systems on workflow in the pharmacy department.
5. Evaluate ways in which clinical surveillance systems can provide cost savings in your institution.