ASHP Health-System Pharmacy Press Releases and Announcements

ASHP Publishes New Medication Safety Officer's Handbook

Fri, 17 May 2013

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has just published its new Medication Safety Officer’s Handbook by Connie M. Larson, Pharm.D., and Deb Saine, M.S., FASHP, FSMSO. This new resource offers expert guidance in every area of a medication safety officer’s (MSO’s) work, from setting up safety systems to dealing with personnel problems, along with sample forms, checklists, and other job tools. Readers will learn not only strategies for making changes, but also systems for error reporting and analysis and guidance on managing adverse outcomes. This how-to guide includes detailed information for all areas of medication safety, from automated dispensing cabinet override criteria to examples of a Sentinel Event alert gap analysis. Written by experts for pharmacists and nurses who oversee medication safety, it is the essential reference for all MSOs. The book answers important questions such as:

Inaugural Medication Safety Collaborative Set for June 2-5 in Minneapolis

Tue, 14 May 2013

Several patient safety organizations have partnered to create a unique educational and networking opportunity for members of the patient safety team, the Medication Safety Collaborative. The inaugural Collaborative will be held June 2-5 in Minneapolis and is supported by AHFS Drug Information, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), the American Society of Medication Safety Officers (ASMSO), the ASHP Research and Education Foundation, the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), and, the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP).

The Collaborative will offer four days of interactive education that will equip attendees to immediately implement what is learned into their practices. Medication safety experts James Broselow, M.D., Michael Cohen, M.S., Sc.D., DPS, Frank Federico, R.Ph., and Donna Isgett, RN, MSN are among the expert faculty for the conference.

The theme of the inaugural conference, “Out of the Box,” focuses on innovative practices and solutions to optimize safety and quality outcomes. Featured sessions include:

Prescription Drug Harm and Death: An Epidemic. What is Being Done?
Practical Applications of MedWatch Updates
Building Our Patient-Centered Safety & Quality Processes: Focus on Disclosure
Best Practices in Medication Safety: Difficult Drugs and At-Risk Patients
Building the Foundation for Informatics Data Driven Medication Safety

“Numerous studies point to the improved outcomes that result from team based care, so it is essential that all members of the health care team have the tools they need to ensure that patients in our nations hospitals receive safe and effective care,” said ASHP CEO Paul W. Abramowitz, Pharm.D., FASHP. “We are pleased to provide a forum that allows the key players on the patient care team to share best practices and actionable solutions that can have an immediate impact in their practices.”

The Collaborative is approved for more than 19 hours of CME or Nursing CE and more than 21 hours of CPE for pharmacists. The Collaborative will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center concurrently with ASHP’s Summer Meeting and Exhibition. All Summer Meeting educational programming, vendor exhibits, events and networking opportunities will be open to Collaborative registrants.

For more information on the Collaborative, see http://www.ashp.org/msc13.

About the Collaborators

AHFS Drug Information is the premier drug information database, providing an evidence-based foundation for safe and effective drug therapy. We are committed to alerting our subscriber to the latest critical therapeutic developments.

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is the national professional organization whose 40,000 members include pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy students who provide patient care services in hospitals, health systems, and ambulatory clinics. For 70 years, the Society has been on the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists help people make the best use of medicines, visit ASHP's website, www.ashp.org, or its consumer website, www.safemedication.com.

The American Society of Medication Safety Officers (ASMSO) is a society devoted to Medication Safety Officers and leaders in medication management. ASMSO was founded in 2005 by Medication Safety Officers with the goal to provide an open forum of information sharing and collaboration. The mission of ASMSO is to advance and encourage excellence in safe medication use by providing communication, leadership, direction, and education among its members.

The ASHP Research and Education Foundation was established in 1968 by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (www.ashp.org) as a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. As the philanthropic arm of ASHP, our vision is that patient outcomes improve because of the leadership and clinical skills of pharmacists, as vital members of the health care team, accountable for safe and effective medication use. Our mission is to improve the health and well-being of patients in health systems through appropriate, safe and effective medication use.

The Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP), is the nation’s only 501c (3) nonprofit organization devoted entirely to medication error prevention and safe medication use. ISMP represents over 35 years of experience in helping healthcare practitioners keep patients safe, and continues to lead efforts to improve the medication use process.

The National Council for Prescription Drug Programs (NCPDP) provides a forum wherein our diverse membership can develop business solutions, including ANSI-accredited standards, and guidance for promoting information exchanges related to medications, supplies, and services within the healthcare system.

ASHP Statement on Senate HELP Committee Draft Compounding Bill

Fri, 26 Apr 2013

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is encouraged by the provisions included in draft legislation released today by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) to address regulatory gaps in the oversight of compounding outsourcers.

"Based on a preliminary assessment, ASHP is pleased with the direction the Senate is heading on this very important legislation that includes key provisions we have advocated for over the past six months,” said ASHP CEO Paul W. Abramowitz, Pharm.D., FASHP. “We are particularly pleased that the committee recognizes the role of the states in overseeing traditional compounding, including that which occurs in hospitals and health systems, while creating a new definition of a "compounding manufacturer" that would be overseen by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)."

The Society has been actively engaged with HELP Committee staff as they have developed legislative language and has sought to distinguish patient-care driven hospital and health-system compounding from commercial compounding provided by compounding outsourcers.

The draft legislation establishes a boundary between traditional pharmacy compounding and defines a new entity, “compounding manufacturer,” which compounds preparations without or in advance of a prescription and engages in interstate commerce. It also preserves the states’ primary role in regulating traditional pharmacies.

ASHP will thoroughly review the discussion draft and submit comments to the Committee by its May 3 deadline.

ASHP is the national professional organization whose 40,000 members include pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy students who provide patient care services in hospitals, health systems, and ambulatory clinics. For 70 years, the Society has been on the forefront of efforts to improve medication use and enhance patient safety. For more information about the wide array of ASHP activities and the many ways in which pharmacists help people make the best use of medicines, visit ASHP's website, www.ashp.org, or its consumer website, www.safemedication.com.

ASHP Publishes New Edition of Extended Stability for Parental Drugs

Thu, 25 Apr 2013

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has published a new edition of its Extended Stability for Parenteral Drugs, a valuable reference for anyone working in alternate site infusion or preparing sterile compounds. The fifth edition, by Caryn Marie Dellamorte Bing, M.S., FASHP, and Anna Nowobilski-Vasilios, Pharm.D., MBA, FASHP, CNSC, BSNCP, is designed to help pharmacists safely extend beyond-use dating of parenteral medications to minimize waste and reduce costs. With expanded tables and enhanced references, Extended Stability for Parenteral Drugs is the only publication that brings key stability data on the most commonly used IV solutions, medications, and administration devices together in one convenient, easy-to-use guide. Other new features in the text include:

Oncology Drug Shortages Affecting Care for Cancer Patients

Wed, 24 Apr 2013

A new study of the effects of oncology drug shortages, published in the April 1 edition of the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy (AJHP), reveals that cancer patients are paying a high price in terms of delayed and altered treatment. Shortages of oncology medications, including methotrexate, liposomal doxorubicin, fluorouracil, leucovorin, and paclitaxel, have increased in recent years. The National Survey on the Effect of Oncology Drug Shortages on Cancer Care, by Ali McBride, Pharm.D., M.S., BCPS, specialty practice pharmacist in hematologic malignancies/stem cell transplant, The James Cancer Hospital and Solove Research Institute, et al., found that cancer drug shortages often result in disruptions in the timing of chemotherapy treatments, alterations in the dose or regimen administered, or missed doses when alternative agents are unavailable. Ninety-three percent of the 243 survey participants reported delays in chemotherapy administration or changes in treatment regimens due to shortages. Eighty-five percent reported increased costs associated with shortages, and 10 percent reported reimbursement challenges. Generic injectable drugs, including oncology and anti-infective therapies, are most prone to shortages. According to the Food and Drug Administration, oncology drug shortages tend to result from quality issues at the manufacturing site, including contamination by items such as glass shards or fungi. The study found that oncology drug shortages affect both the safety and quality of cancer care. According to the authors, equivalent therapeutic substitutions for certain medications are often unavailable or unknown. Health care providers who turn to the alternative medicines in the face of shortages risk suboptimal treatment responses. Alternative therapies also may not be as effective as frontline therapies or may carry an increased risk of adverse effects, according to the study. Patient care is not the only element affected by oncology drug shortages. When first-choice therapies are unavailable, other—often more expensive—drugs must be purchased. The study also revealed the time costs involved when pharmacists and other hospital staff must find and purchase substitutes. At 34 percent of responding institutions, at least 1,000 hours of additional labor annually was needed to manage shortages. Near-miss errors due to shortages were reported by 16 percent of participants. Forty-four percent of responding institutions revealed that the conduct of clinical trials was affected by drug shortages.

ASHP Honors Members for Practice Excellence, Leadership

Thu, 18 Apr 2013

Fifty-one health-system pharmacists have been given the title “Fellow” by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) in recognition of the excellence they have achieved in pharmacy practice. The 2013 Fellows will be honored on Tuesday, June 4, 2013, during the ASHP Summer Meeting & Exhibition in Minneapolis.

ASHP Names Headquarters in Honor of Former CEO

Tue, 09 Apr 2013

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) dedicated its Bethesda headquarters today as the Joseph A. Oddis Building.

ASHP Honors Pharmacy Students for Campus Leadership

Wed, 20 Mar 2013

Eleven pharmacy students were recently recognized by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) for their achievement in health-system pharmacy practice and campus leadership with the ASHP Student Leadership Award. The award, sponsored by ASHP and the ASHP Research and Education Foundation, is given to student members in their second through fourth professional years of pharmacy school. The award winners receive a plaque, an ASHP drug information reference library, and a $2,500 cash award. The 2013 winners are:

ASHP Board of Directors Announces 2013 Awards

Mon, 18 Mar 2013

The Board of Directors of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) will acknowledge the contributions of a diverse group of health care practitioners with the Society’s 2013 recognition awards.

ASHP's New Text Helps Pharmacy Students Get the Most from Their Rotations

Mon, 04 Mar 2013

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has published a new text to help pharmacy students get the most benefit from their rotations. Maximize Your Rotations: ASHP’s Student Guide to IPPEs, APPEs, and Beyond, by Mate M. Soric, Pharm.D., BCPS, is the first text designed to help guide students in the best way to prepare and make the most of these important experiences.