Decentralization of pharmaceutical services in a large hospital complex

The decentralization of pharmaceutical services to two patient-care areas remote from the central pharmacy in a large hospital complex is described. The addition of a fifth building to a large hospital complex led to problems with drug distribution and interprofessional communication, since the pharmacy that provided services to the 120 beds in the new building was located in a building some distance away. Decentralization of pharmaceutical services to a 24-bed surgical intensive-care unit and a 48-bed surgical patient-care unit in the new building was accomplished through a satellite pharmacy located on the intensive-care unit with support from a mobile medication cart located on the surgical unit. The satellite is staffed from 0700 to 2200 each day by one pharmacist and one technician per eight-hour shift. Evaluations of medication turnaround time, number of interactions with nurses and physicians, efficiency of the drug distribution system, quantity of floor stock maintained on the units, and productivity performed before and after the implementation of decentralized services indicated improvements in all areas. A survey of the nursing staff indicated that nurses were very satisfied with the improvements in pharmaceutical services. The implementation of decentralized pharmaceutical services in two patient-care areas remote from the central pharmacy was successful in improving services to these areas.