Medications used during surgery could be putting your patients at risk and increasing your facility and practitioner liability. Are you using Sugammadex (Bridion®) or Aprepitant (Emend®)? If so, are you providing education on discharge to your female patients about the potential increased risk of pregnancy?
Safe injection practices are one of the most commonly cited deficiencies by certification and accreditation agencies. But there is good news, your consultant pharmacist can help you avoid deficiencies! Here are the ten commonly cited issues and my recommendations for survey success.
Fireworks can be great this time of year, but as a consultant pharmacist, I don’t like to hear fireworks when it comes to surveys. Some deficiencies are fairly common and avoiding them is not that difficult. Today we will discuss three of the most common deficiencies in ambulatory surgery centers and ways to avoid them.
As the weather finally warms up and the country begins to open from the COVID-19 pandemic, our thoughts shift to summertime and the beach. As a consultant pharmacist, I am always working to help my facilities improve patient safety and achieve survey success. Here are five easy things you can do while sitting at the beach!
As a consultant pharmacist I often hear “USP Chapter <800> on hazardous drugs (HDs) was released for informational purposes only. Do I really need to comply with it?” My short answer is always “yes”, but do you know why and how?
Implementing, and adhering to, good infection control practices is critical to minimizing the impact of infectious diseases, including, but not limited to COVID-19. As a consultant pharmacist, I see additional opportunities for infection control practices that may not be as obvious as handwashing or PPE.
June is National Safety Month and at OctariusRx we recognize and support the National Safety Council’s efforts to build and advocate for a culture of safety.
The COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic we are all facing is an extraordinary situation that has greatly modified so many of the things we take for granted. There are many lessons already learned...and, of course, others still to come. One thing we know for certain is that some processes will be forever altered — and others will need to be improved. Although it may seem overwhelming right now, it’s prudent to start thinking about things that can be modified going forward. As a consultant pharmacist, below are five key items I suggest you think about now to better prepare yourself, and your facility, for a world post COVID-19.
With the White House announcing the Guidelines for Opening up America Again, Ambulatory Surgery Centers (ASCs) should be ready to go when your state provides specific guidance. Have you taken the appropriate steps to prepare?
Consultant pharmacists are medication management specialists who work in a variety of settings like ambulatory surgery centers (ASC), senior care facilities (e.g., nursing homes, assisted living facilities) and also by helping individual patients. These pharmacists provide expert advice on pharmaceutical services, patient safety, and drug therapy management.
In a three-part series, we will discuss how a consultant pharmacist can benefit each client and how you can find the right consultant pharmacist for your needs. This month, we’ll focus on how ASCs can enhance patient safety by using an expert consultant pharmacist. In the coming months, this series will also discuss how consultant pharmacists can have a dramatic impact on long-term care facilities and on individual patients’ lives.
