News
Beebe Medical Center Pharmacists’ Abstract Accepted for National Convention
10/26/04
Beebe Medical Center pharmacists Cheryl Hoechner R.Ph, MS, BCOP and Sam Roberts RPh, MS, were notified recently that their co-authored abstract, entitled “Oncology Pharmacy: a Value Added Service in a Rural Hospital Infusion Center,” was accepted for a poster presentation at the American Society of Health System Pharmacists Midyear Convention, December 5 - 9, 2004 in Orlando, Florida. Over 20,000 pharmacists from around the world attend the conference.
“Beebe’s performance improvement efforts have been chosen as a model example for other institutions,” Cheryl Hoechner explained. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to share the work we have done at the Tunnell Cancer Center with colleagues at this well-attended, distinguished conference.”
The presentation will highlight how the implementation of an oncology pharmacy service in the infusion center at Beebe Medical Center, as rural hospital, has improved patient care and has provided significant cost savings to the medical center. From the years 2000 to 2003 the number of products has doubled, the number of patients treated has increased, and patient satisfaction has improved, according to Press Ganey (national patient satisfaction measurement company).
For the four-year project, the Tunnell Cancer Center established a small pharmacy satellite and specially trained pharmacy staff joined the oncology team in the infusion center. Beebe added pharmacists to the multidisciplinary patient care teams and implemented multiple cost containment strategies, including product waste avoidance, dose rounding, and improved medication inventory control. Additionally, collaboration with the oncology staff resulted in improvements, such as updated policies and procedures, and new strategies to improve reimbursement and decrease payment denials for drugs.
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