Hospital Pharmacy Initiative to Improve Efficiency Patient Safety
Ontario Hospital Association
200 Front Street West, Suite 2800
Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3L1
Tel: (416) 205-1345 Fax: (416) 205-1360
Visit our Web Site: http://www.oha.com
Thursday, October 20, 2005
HOSPITAL PHARMACY INITIATIVE TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, PATIENT SAFETY
Toronto - Today the Ontario Hospital Association (OHA) launched an exciting initiative to further improve the way that Ontario’s hospitals manage their pharmaceutical purchasing, storage, and distribution processes.
“Ontario’s hospitals are pioneers at identifying and embracing more efficient ways of providing first-class care,” said OHA President and CEO Hilary Short. “We believe that better pharmacy management will help hospitals make better use of their pharmacists, improve efficiency and, most importantly, enhance patient safety.”
This initiative, made possible by a grant of up to $483,000 from the Government of Ontario springs from recommendations made by the Hospital Efficiency Task Force (HETF). The OHA, in partnership with the Government of Ontario, created the HETF in 2004 to recognize hospital efficiency efforts and identify additional efficiency.
Hospital pharmacy services were selected as an initial area for investigation by the HETF because the opportunities to improve hospital drug utilization, shrink distribution costs, enhance patient safety and deploy skilled hospital pharmacists more efficiently are considered very significant.
The initiative will assist government and hospital decision-making by determining the business case for a centralized drug distribution, production and purchasing function model for hospital pharmacies.
A centralized pharmacy model has been identified as a “best” or “leading” practice and has been implemented elsewhere in Canada. In this model, a central or regional “Production Pharmacy” houses the central pharmaceutical inventory and production facilities for preparation of drug and nutrition solutions administered intravenously, unit dose packaging of tablets and capsules and space for the preparation of compounds. It is estimated that significant savings would accrue to the hospital system within five years.
“A centralized pharmacy model would utilize new technologies with inherent safety features. The efficiencies gained will also allow hospital pharmacists to focus on other clinical aspects such as providing consultations and pharmacotherapy support and monitoring for patients,” said David U, President and CEO of the Institute for Safe Medication Practices Canada. “I believe that this model, while providing efficiency could also be designed to enhance patient safety.”
The OHA initiative will:
- Produce a summary of leading practices that may be utilized by all hospital pharmacies in the province depending on the characteristics of each service;
- Select two regional sites and assist the hospital groups in the development of business case proposals for consideration by the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and MOF business transformation teams.
The OHA expects to complete the first phase of this initiative in Spring 2006.
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To obtain a copy of “
Continuing to Lead in Hospital Efficiency: A Preliminary Report of the Hospital Efficiency Task Force”, please visit www.oha.com
For further information:
OHA Public Affairs
416-205-1305