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Impact of a pediatric clinical pharmacist in the pediatric intensive care unit

Marianne I Krupicka1, Susan L Bratton, Karen Sonnenthal

  • 1Department of Pharmacy, Doernbecher Children's Hospital & Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR, USA.

Critical Care Medicine
|April 10, 2002
PubMed

Insights

A clinical pharmacist in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) made 35 recommendations per 100 patient days, demonstrating significant cost savings. This study highlights the value of pharmacists in pediatric critical care settings.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Critical Care Medicine
  • Clinical Pharmacy Practice
  • Health Economics

Background:

  • The role of clinical pharmacists in specialized care settings is increasingly recognized.
  • Optimizing medication therapy and patient safety in pediatric intensive care units (PICUs) is crucial.
  • Quantifying the impact and cost-effectiveness of clinical pharmacists is essential for resource allocation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of a clinical pharmacist within a pediatric intensive care unit.
  • To identify the types and frequency of patient care interventions recommended by the pharmacist.
  • To assess the direct and indirect cost savings associated with clinical pharmacist recommendations.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective case series design was employed in a ten-bed PICU at a children's hospital.
  • All patients admitted to the PICU during the 24-week study period were included.
  • Interventions were documented by the pharmacist during shifts, with daily medication list reviews and twice-weekly rounding with the PICU team.

Main Results:

  • The clinical pharmacist made 35 recommendations per 100 patient days, with dosage adjustments (28%) and drug information (26%) being most common.
  • Direct cost savings of $1,977 were documented during the study period, extrapolating to $9,135 annually.
  • The pharmacist's time commitment was minimal (0.02 full-time equivalent), with additional non-quantifiable savings from educational activities and error avoidance.

Conclusions:

  • A clinical pharmacist is a valuable and cost-effective addition to the pediatric intensive care unit team.
  • Pharmacist interventions contribute to improved patient care and significant financial benefits.
  • The integration of clinical pharmacists enhances medication safety and therapy optimization in PICUs.
Abstract

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