Justification of an operating-room satellite pharmacy

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Health Services Research
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Operating room (OR) medication management is complex and impacts patient safety and hospital finances.
• Current medication handling and control processes in a 24-suite OR complex were assessed.
• The need for an OR pharmacy satellite was evaluated based on financial and patient safety factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To document medication handling and control in an OR complex.
• To justify the financial and patient safety benefits of implementing an OR pharmacy satellite.
• To assess the potential impact on revenue, drug costs, and staff workload.

Main Methods:

• Comparison of actual patient charges with theoretical pharmacy charges.
• Assessment of medication inventory costs, drug wastage, and controlled substance documentation.
• Projection of revenue generation, cost savings, and return on investment for an OR pharmacy.

Main Results:

• An OR pharmacy could increase gross revenue by $671,606 annually and collectible revenue by $71,926.
• Projected savings from inventory reduction ($55,000) and decreased drug wastage ($50,000) were identified.
• Incomplete controlled substance documentation was noted, with significant discrepancies in fentanyl and sufentanil records.

Conclusions:

• Implementation of an OR satellite pharmacy is recommended for improved patient safety and financial benefits.
• The study projected first-year net revenue of $79,959, increasing to $277,569 after five years.
• An OR pharmacy could free up approximately three full-time equivalents from medication-related tasks.