Education

The healthcare setting at Allegheny General Hospital (AGH) offers an ideal environment for the training and education of pharmacists and supportive pharmacy personnel.

The AGH Department of Pharmacy provides 24-hour comprehensive services, utilizing a decentralized, computerized unit-dose drug distribution system and intravenous admixture programs. Services include drug information, computerized inventory control and procurement systems, integrated drug use review, and quality improvement. Extensive inservice education and staff development programs are also available.

Pharmacists assume direct patient care responsibilities for ensuring the safe and effective use of medications, in addition to supervising supportive pharmacy personnel. Pharmacists with specialized training provide expertise in advanced principles of pharmaceutical care in areas including pharmacokinetics, critical care, infectious diseases, cardiology, internal medicine, hematology/oncology, ambulatory care, drug information, transplantation, and emergency medicine.

For more information:

• Drug Information Center
• Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee
• Consultation Services
• Clinical and Administrative On-Call
• Staffing Obligations
• Affiliations

Drug Information Center

The purpose of the Drug Information Center (DIC) of the AGH Department of Pharmacy is to provide pharmaceutical and drug therapy information to the medical, nursing, and pharmacy staffs at AGH, as well as other healthcare professionals.

The DIC maintains a drug library with the latest pharmacological texts, pharmaceutical, and medical journals, abstracting services, and other references on drug therapy. The DIC also has the capability to search many online and computerized databases. Information is available on drug therapy, adverse reactions, pharmacokinetics, IV compatibility, drug interactions, and tablet identification.

Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee

The AGH Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee is a multidisciplinary committee composed of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, a risk manager, and a representative from hospital administration.

The AGH P&T Committee is responsible for the formulation of hospital policies and procedures for the evaluation, selection, distribution, and administration of drugs in AGH. In addition, it is responsible for reviewing reports of medication errors and adverse drug reactions, developing and conducting drug use reviews and antibiotic surveillance programs, developing drug monitors, and maintaining the drug formulary.

Consultation Services

The AGH Department of Pharmacy routinely monitors aminoglycoside and vancomycin therapy, providing dosage adjustments as necessary.

Consultations for therapeutic monitoring of selected medications will be provided upon request.

A clinical pharmacist may be consulted to assist in any medication-related problem or for patient education.

A physician may request a consultation by calling the DIC. When such a request is received, a clinical pharmacist will review the patient’s medications and provide specific dosage, drug serum level analysis, and follow-up information to the requesting physician. Ongoing evaluation and adjustment of dosage will be provided as needed.

Clinical and Administrative On-Call

Pharmacy residents participate in an on-call service, which provides first-hand experience in developing problem-solving skills through exposure to various clinical and administrative situations.

The clinical on-call program includes, but is not limited to, a Pharmacokinetics Consult Service in which residents prospectively evaluate and monitor patients receiving aminoglycosides and vancomycin. Residents will participate in a rotating on-call schedule for coverage of these services.

Residents will be assigned a preceptor as their “back-up” for any questions or issues. A comprehensive overview of these services will occur during orientation.

Staffing Obligations

In order to provide a complete educational experience, residents will be assigned staffing duties on a rotating basis and selected holidays.

The PGY1 requirement will consist of three (8-hour) shifts per three-week period.

The PGY2 requirement will consist of two (12-hour) shifts per three-week period.

It is the intent of this requirement to provide the resident with model pharmacy practice experience.

Affiliations

The AGH Pharmacy Residency Program has affiliations with several schools of pharmacy, including those at:

• Duquesne University
• University of Pittsburgh
• Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Ohio State University
• Ohio Northern University

Relationships with academic centers and professional organizations are fostered in an effort to provide formal educational programs through clerkships, externships, internships, and residencies.