Formulary management at a tertiary-care facility: P&T committee interview

Managing a formulary at a large tertiary-care center like the University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic, demands a controlled, yet flexible system, Russell Lucas, MD, chairman of the P & T Committee, and Paul Abramowitz, PharmD, secretary of the P & T Committee tell Hospital Formulary in an exclusive interview. Because of their responsibility and commitment in educating the house officers who prescribe within their hospital, establishing P & T Committee guidelines and programs that are educational and nonconfrontational is critical. Discussed in this interview are the evolution of various subcommittees and adhoc groups (when greater expertise than that available on the P & T Committee was needed), the continuous development of educational programs, and the institution's policies on nonformulary drug requests and drug restrictions. Drs. Lucas and Abramowitz also comment on how HMOs, which account for nearly 50% of the health care provided in the area, may affect drug therapy practices within the University.