Pharmacy Division
Introduction
The Pharmacy Division
provides services such as the warehousing and dispensing of drugs, the preparation
of injections (including aseptic mixtures), the collection and dissemination
of drug information and instructions for drug use. The division's services
have improved in response to the hospital's goal of promoting a higher quality
of medical care and practice. A state-of-the-art computerized system and other
pharmacy-related equipment ensure quality control and inventory management,
promote the proper use of drugs, and enhance the efficiency and quality of
our services.
Routine Activities
The hospital's drug inventory
is checked by using the computer system, and the division acts as a secretary
to the in-hospital pharmaceutical affairs committee responsible for the adoption
of drugs.
As part of its fundamental
work, the Pharmacy Division prepares and dispenses injections for individual
patients. We assemble aseptic mixtures of injectable chemotherapy agents for
all outpatients and some inpatients, and we are responsible for the aseptic
preparation of intravenous hyperalimentation (IVH) for inpatients.
The importance of providing
drug information to patients has been widely acknowledged. Division pharmacists
visit inpatients and give advice on taking medicine, focusing especially on
pain control with morphine, and they participate in the palliative care support
team. Outpatient drug consultation concerning guidance in the proper use of
opioids is also given in a "drug consulting room" available to outpatients.
Pharmacists collect, compile,
and maintain a database of drug information and distribute pertinent information
to the medical staff. Drug information is disseminated throughout the hospital
by paper distribution and/or on the in-hospital computer network, quickly
in the case of emergency safety information from the Ministry of Health &
Welfare and in a timely manner in the case of general drug information.
Pharmacists individualize dosage
regimens for specified drugs such as aminoglycosides or vancomycin based on
both measured blood concentrations and pharmacokinetics in order to maximize
the efficacy and minimize adverse reactions.
The inventory control and handling
of new investigative drugs are conducted in the Pharmacy Division and also
monitored by the drug sponsors, in accordance with GCP regulations.
Research Activities
The pharmacy division is engaged in the study of improving
pain control by gathering opinions and comments in questionnaires regarding
the usefulness of guidance materials provided by the pharmacy.
Systems and Devices
Several new systems to improve pharmacy services were
introduced in 1999. The prescription ordering system is fully operational.
Easy-to-understand explanations and instructions concerning drug use are now
automatically printed out for patients. Patients can also use a new touch-panel
device situated at the pharmacy counter to see or print out drug information
at their convenience.
The new injection ordering system, which automatically
checks the dose of antineoplastic agents as well as the interval of chemotherapy,
contains a link to the automatic "picking system" device, and this
linkage ensures that injections are set properly for individual patients.
The new pharmacy homepage, updated monthly, provides
drug information containing current safety information provided from the Ministry
of Health & Welfare, information about newly adopted drugs, Q&A on
drugs, and recent articles.
|
Number
of Prescriptions |
||
|
1998 |
1999 |
|
|
1)
Oral and topical preparations |
||
|
Prepared in hospital pharmacy |
150,368 |
166,570 |
|
Inpatients |
65,254 |
80,878 |
|
Outpatients
|
85,114 |
85,692 |
|
Taken to outside pharmacies |
9,835 |
11,374 |
|
2)
Injections |
||
|
Inpatients |
189,039 |
249,036 |
|
Outpatients |
14,942 |
17,889 |
|
Aseptic
Preparation of Injectable Drugs |
||
|
1889 |
1999 |
|
|
IVH preparation |
7,586 |
1,281 |
|
Anticancer Drugs |
7,751 |
10,315 |
|
Others |
6,107 |
7,572 |
|
House
Preparations |
||
|
1998 |
1999 |
|
|
Sterilized |
134 |
101 |
|
Nonsterilized |
155 |
144 |
|
Investigational
Drugs |
||
|
1988 |
1999 |
|
|
Newly registered |
19 |
24 |
|
Ongoing study |
33 |
39 |
(K.
INARI)
