Collaborative clinical pharmacokinetics service in a community hospital

A clinical pharmacokinetics service (CPS) operated through the collaborative efforts of the pharmacy and laboratory in a community hospital is described. Pharmacokinetic interpretations of aminoglycoside, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, digoxin, and theophylline concentrations are provided routinely by the CPS; other drug assays are interpreted upon physician request. The CPS is operated by two pharmacokinetics pharmacists and a clinical pharmacy coordinator during the week; pharmacy residents and staff pharmacists in decentralized areas assist on the weekends. Pharmacists assign sampling times to all assay requests unless otherwise specified by the physician. Pharmacy, nursing, laboratory, and medical staffs are involved in an ongoing quality-assurance monitoring program. During a recent one-year period, more than 100 pharmacokinetic consultations each were provided monthly for theophylline, digoxin, and antibiotic assays. Through the cooperation of the pharmacy and laboratory departments, the clinical pharmacokinetics service in this community hospital provides a valuable service to patients and serves as an educational forum for pharmacy and medical staffs.