Robert P. Granko

Effects of a new sterile product preparation and delivery process on operational efficiency and cost.

PURPOSE Process changes in a hospital pharmacys batch preparation of sterile products to reduce product and human resource waste are described. SUMMARY The pharmacy information system and direct observation were used in the collection of data on the existing i.v. room process, which generated batches of drug products every 12 hours. The daily numbers of doses prepared and doses credited, the percentage of doses credited, the cost of wasted doses, and the number of pharmacy technician hours wasted in the process were recorded. After a change to every-4-hour batch preparation and a modification of the schedule for delivering products to nursing units, data were again collected to determine savings of waste and costs. Fewer doses were prepared daily in the new batch process. The percentage of doses credited daily decreased from 26% to 18%, and pharmacy technician workload decreased by 3.05 hours. The reductions in waste led to a projected annual product cost saving of

Improving employee engagement within a department of pharmacy

122,000 and a workload reduction of 0.5 technician full-time equivalent. CONCLUSION The implementation of a new i.v. room batch process improved operational efficiency by reducing the production of waste and led to a substantial projected annual cost saving.

Assessing the self-development potential of a pharmacy management practitioner through self-assessment survey

Employee engagement is a method used in the workplace to ensure that employees are committed to their organization’s mission, vision, and goals.[1][1]–[4][2] Positive engagement improves employee performance and efficiency, which contribute to an organization’s overall success.[5][3] Engaged

Promoting pharmacy business success through the implementation of a departmental operating review series

PURPOSE The self-development potential of pharmacy management practitioners related to self-management, team development, and network management was assessed. METHODS A survey instrument consisting of 12 self-assessment questions and 11 questions about demographics was distributed to pharmacy management practitioners to assess their abilities to manage themselves, their teams, and their networks. The tool was distributed by e-mail hyperlink to 190 potential respondents. Only surveys from respondents who had a pharmacy degree and direct supervisory capacity were analyzed. Respondents rated their progress toward meeting the three imperatives on a scale of 1-5. Responses to the questions were analyzed as ordinal data, with median responses used for assessment. RESULTS A total of 160 responses were received via e-mail, 149 (93%) of which met the inclusion criteria. About half of all respondents were practicing at institutions of 600 beds or more and supervised at least five employees. The majority of respondents identified their abilities to manage themselves, their teams, and their networks as areas of strength but also acknowledged that using all three of these skills on a daily basis was an area of opportunity. Respondents generally identified management of their network as an area needing work. CONCLUSION The majority of survey respondents identified their skills in self-, team, and network management as areas of strength. Respondents generally identified management of their network as an area needing work. Respondents also identified the use of all three imperatives on a daily basis as an area of opportunity for improvement.

Managing peak performers

Essential to the continual developmental competence of the pharmacy management practitioner is the acquisition of knowledge in the business of pharmacy. Pharmacy management practitioners acquire, share, and continually reinvest in the management and leadership of themselves, their team, and their

A Case of Topical Benzocaine-Induced Methemoglobinemia

Managers who are successful in performance coaching are often individuals who are trustworthy, comfortable with self and others, and active listeners. They regularly spend time with their employees to motivate, direct, reward, develop, and praise them and give constructive feedback while driving

Development and Implementation of a Combined Master of Science and PGY1/PGY2 Health-System Pharmacy Administration Residency Program at a Large Community Teaching Hospital

The author reports a case of topical benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia. Benzocaine is a topical anesthetic commonly used during minor surgical and cannulation procedures. Although not widely reported, benzocaine has the potential to induce severe or life-threatening methemoglobinemia. Clinical practitioners should be cognizant of this complication associated with benzocaine use and its appropriate management. The following report describes a case of topical benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia in a 74-year-old, Caucasian woman who had undergone transesophageal echocardiography and who received topical benzocaine for local anesthesia. Ten minutes after the administration of benzocaine, her oxygen saturation levels decreased to 71%, requiring immediate attention. Co-oximetry (multiple wavelength spectrophotometry) measured methemoglobin levels indicated the presence of methemoglobinemia. The patient was subsequently treated with 60 mg of intravenous methylene blue. Within 10 minutes, the patient’s condition had improved. The primary etiology of methemoglobinemia is from exposure to oxidizing agents. Benzocaine is an oxidizing agent commonly used as a topical anesthetic. Topically applied benzocaine, in the patient described here and in other reported cases, produced elevated methemoglobin levels requiring treatment with a reducing agent. Methylene blue, within a specified dosage range, can serve as a reducing agent to reverse the effects of topically applied benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia.

Optimizing the revenue cycle to promote growth of the pharmacy enterprise

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to share experiences after the development of a health-system pharmacy administration residency with a MS degree and express the need for additional programs in nonacademic medical center health-system settings. Summary: Experiences with the development and implementation of a health-system pharmacy administration residency at a large community teaching hospital are described. Resident candidates benefit from collaborations with other health-systems through master’s degree programs and visibility to leaders at your health-system. Programs benefit from building a pipeline of future pharmacy administrators and by leveraging the skills of residents to contribute to projects and department-wide initiatives. Tools to assist in the implementation of a new pharmacy administration program are also described and include rotation and preceptor development, marketing and recruiting, financial evaluation, and steps to prepare for accreditation. Conclusion: Health-system pharmacy administration residents provide the opportunity to build a pipeline of high-quality leaders, provide high-level project involvement, and produce a positive return on investment (ROI) for health-systems. These programs should be explored in academic and nonacademic-based health-systems.

Strategy for pharmacy data management

Hospitals’ and health systems’ reliance on the pharmacy enterprise to effectively manage the revenue cycle has become a significant strategic priority. Inattention to the details of this complex process can negatively affect the short- and long-term financial viability of the organization.

Role of executive coaching in pharmacy management

There is increasing growth in the volume of data generated, and subsequently stored, in healthcare processes. The drive for this growth is supported by a combination of federal initiatives, such as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, the Health Information Technology for Economic and