Building an outpatient cancer center pharmacy program across a tristate region [Practice Reports]

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Building an outpatient cancer center pharmacy program across a tristate region Susan J. Skledar?, Andrew Doedyns and Bryan Yourich

Susan J. Skledar, B.S., M.P.H., is Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC), and Associate Professor, School of Pharmacy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. Andrew Doedyns, B.S., M.B.A., is Pharmacy Manager, UPMC CancerCenter, Pittsburgh. Bryan Yourich, Pharm.D., is Regional Director of Pharmacy Operations, Department of Pharmacy, UPMC Shadyside, Pittsburgh. Address correspondence to Ms. Skledar (skledarsj{at}upmc.edu). Abstract Purpose The transition to a hybrid model of oncology pharmacy services including remote order verification across a regional network of cancer centers is described.

Summary Five years ago the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) began a major expansion of its cancer care services, gradually integrating 19 community-based physician practice sites into its tristate oncology network as affiliated hospital-based clinics (HBCs). The network expansion was achieved through a stepwise process including (1) development of oncology medication protocols, (2) interdisciplinary efforts to modify oncology care workflows, (3) implementation of a hybrid practice model to optimize the use of clinical pharmacy resources, and (4) focused staff training programs. Under the hybrid practice model, first checks of antineoplastic medication orders, premedication orders, and laboratory values are performed by either onsite or remote pharmacists, with all second checks performed remotely. In 2013, network pharmacists implemented large numbers of medication therapy interventions to improve chemotherapy and biological response modifier dosing (n = 641) and nonchemotherapy medication use (n = 1082); other documented interventions included patient counseling to help optimize the use of erythropoietin-stimulating agents and other medications (n = 441) and anticoagulation-related dosing adjustments and patient education (n = 102).

Conclusion Nineteen ambulatory care centers were successfully integrated into the UPMC oncology network as affiliated HBCs through a stepwise process that included workflow modifications, staff training, and a hybrid pharmacy services model that ensures a two-pharmacist check of antineoplastic orders in accordance with regulatory and quality standards.

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? Previous | Next Article ? Table of Contents This Article doi: 10.2146/ajhp140233 American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy January 15, 2015 vol. 72 no. 2 127-132 ? Abstract Full Text Full Text (PDF) Classifications Print Content Practice Reports Services Email this article to a colleague Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Alert me when eLetters are published Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Download to citation manager eLetters Submit an eLetter No eLetters published Citing Articles Load citing article information Google Scholar Articles by Skledar, S. J. Articles by Yourich, B. PubMed PubMed citation Articles by Skledar, S. J. Articles by Yourich, B. Related Content Load related web page information Social Bookmarking CiteULike Delicious Digg Facebook Google+ Reddit Twitter What's this?

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