Drug Topics - May 12, 2008 - (Page HSE2)

2 HSE DRUG TOPICS MAY 12, 2008 www.drugtopics.com GUEST SPOT David Zilz, R.Ph., M.S., FASHP, and Christopher A. Borr, FACHE Effective hospital pharmacy leadership: You can do it oday’s hospital pharmacy leaders are faced with more challenges than ever before, from regulatory changes, to financial pressures, from safety demands to a growing imbalance of supply vs. labor costs. Together, these challenges create an extremely difficult environment in which to manage a hospital pharmacy. Even amidst today’s industry challenges, effective hospital pharmacy leadership can be achieved. More than ever, directors of pharmacy (DOPs) can benefit from sophisticated strategies to not only manage a hospital pharmacy, but also to lead one effectively. One strategy is the High Performance Pharmacy (HPP) approach (www.highperformancepharmacy.com). Backed by the Health Systems Pharmacy Executive Alliance—an independent group of leaders dedicated to advancing hospital pharmacy—the HPP concept identifies 78 specific practice elements across eight dimensions of performance that can help hospital pharmacies maximize clinical and financial returns. The eight dimensions are: leadership, medication preparation and delivery, patient care services, medication safety, medication use policy, financial performance, human resource management, and education. From manager to leader A leader in a HPP is more than a manager. A leader creates a clear vision for the organization and motivates others to embrace it. A leader can simultaneously balance concurrent initiatives in a way that maps to the organization’s larger vision. For example, multiple projects may be required to improve medication safety, such as implementing new automation systems and enforcing new processes. An effective leader manages these projects in a balanced way so that improved medication safety is achieved. In contrast, less successful leaders often attempt to juggle multiple initiatives that don’t relate to a unified goal. For example, simultaneously implementing new automation technology and recruiting clinical staff — two very different initiatives—may only impede the progress of both initiatives. By practicing HPP leadership skills, DOPs can dis- T cern which initiatives to focus on and how to achieve success. The first dimension of the HPP approach, leadership, has five critical components to help DOPs grow from managers to leaders: 1. Core self is the basis of consistency in values and professional judgment. If leaders communicate openly about their values, their staff will always know where they stand, thus fostering an environment of credibility, trust, and a clear understanding of the organization’s shared vision. 2. Vision involves identifying opportunities for pharmacy within the overall health system and knowing how and when to adapt them for the organization. For example, a strong vision is needed for DOPs to fully capitalize on the many opportunities to improve drug safety. 3. Relationships involve clearly articulating a common vision with pharmacy staff, health-system administrators, medical and nursing staffs, peers in other departments, and the community. 4. Learning is a basic requirement of all leaders. Regularly reading up to 10 industry journals is a good habit to form, as is attending local, state, and national pharmacy meetings. 5. Mentoring encompasses cultivating future leaders and obtaining mentors of your own. HPP leadership in action Seton Health System, consisting of more than 20 locations in New York’s Capital Region, is a compelling example of HPP in action. Closely following the leadership concepts outlined above, Joe Goss, Seton’s DOP, transformed the pharmacy organization’s role from one that was at odds with nursing to one that takes a collaborative and integrated approach to improving patient care. In order to build a more collaborative relationship between pharmacy and nursing, Goss first set out to add a clinical pharmacist to serve as a permanent member of the ICU-CCU patient care team. Additionally, he spearheaded the implementation of pointof-care electronic medication access with enhanced pharmacy systems for all floor-stock and pain meds. Today, Seton’s clinical pharmacists are highly valued members of the patient care teams. To date, Seton has implemented nearly all 78 practice http://www.drugtopics.com http://www.highperformancepharmacy.com

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Drug Topics - May 12, 2008 Contents Latebreakers Letters R.Ph.s Say More Needs to be Done to Prevent Pediatric Drug Errors There's a New School of Thought on Use of Beta-Blockers for Hypertension Cover Story Guest Spot Letters Clinical Practice Special Report Professional Practice Broad Label for New Leukemia Therapy Looks Promising Treating Asthma During Pregnancy Safer than Not, Says New Guide In the Pipeline Clinical Q&A APhA Leader's Plan to Leave Office Takes Center Stage at its Conference Policies Passed at a Glance Giving a Talk to the Community? Check Out These Materials This Foundation has Funds to Spare JP at Large Cover Story: Employers and R.Ph.S: A Win-Win Combo FDA's Ilisa Bernstein Discusses Pharmacy Affairs Legal Q&A Manufacturers Unleash a Rash of Poison Ivy Treatments Are OTC Cold Remedies Safe for Kids? Probiotics are All the Rage: How You Can Capitalize on It CMS' Prices for Round One of DMEPOS Competitive Bidding Raising Concerns CVS Caremark's Mentoring Program Recruits and Retains R.Ph.s Antibiotic Resistance Among Community Pathogens Technology Update New Products Advertisers Index Classified Viewpoint

Drug Topics - May 12, 2008

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