Pharmacy services

Did you know that there is a pharmacy department in the hospital that works behind the scenes to diligently process medication orders, dispense medications, and deliver them to the patient care areas? The pharmacy department at Medical City Plano is one of the most progressive in the area and employs over 50 individuals (BS and PharmD educated pharmacists, certified pharmacy technicians and support personnel).

The Pharmacy Department at Medical City Plano will provide world class pharmaceutical care with patient safety as our primary goal. In the spirit of multidisciplinary care, we educate staff and patients in an effort to improve quality of life by providing high quality care. We will work closely with other disciplines to improve processes, prevent diseases, treat illnesses and improve patient outcomes.

Medical City Plano employs over 25 Certified Pharmacy Technicians working under the supervision of the pharmacists. These highly skilled professionals are an integral link between the pharmacy and nursing staff. They are also responsible for compounding intravenous medications and filling orders for all the medications for patients in the hospital. They ensure these medications are delivered throughout the hospital in a timely fashion. Pharmacy technicians also make sure that all medications have a barcode to ensure patient safety and maintain all of the advanced equipment that pharmacy utilizes.

The pharmacy houses a completely sterile clean room that adheres to the stringent FDA standards for intravenous products. Satellite pharmacies with clean rooms can be found in the operating room and neonatal intensive care areas. These pharmacies provide immediate care for these critical patients. Additionally, the pharmacists in these areas consult with the medical staff to tailor regimens to patient specific parameters. All intravenous products manufactured in these areas are made under FDA-caliber sterile conditions.

Barcoding and computerized technologies are utilized to ensure that the correct medication is being administered to the correct patient at the correct time. Patients’ wrist bands are scanned followed by scanning the actual medication which is cross-checked against the patient’s medication profile. Medical City Plano also engages in electronic physician order entry in an effort to curb misinterpretation of handwriting, abbreviations, etc.

Data is collected on clinical initiatives that the pharmacy department pursues to prove how well patients respond. This data has been presented at national meetings and has garnered both national and international acclaim. This research has also been published in peer-reviewed medical journals. The research the pharmacy department participates in allows the department to not only be a thought leader but also ensures that the department is well-informed of the newest literature. Therefore, the medicine and clinical pharmacy practiced at Medical City Plano is cutting-edge and in accordance with all the latest medical literature.

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• The Merrem study evaluated using a powerful antibiotic more effectively in an effort to attain better efficacy and decrease drug exposure for the patient.
• The Zosyn study evaluated the more effective use of a commonly used antibiotic in an effort to optimize its anti-infective properties.
• At the Texas Health System Pharmacists Meeting in Austin, Medical City Plano's Pharmacy Department received an award for its research of the implementation and impact of a warfarin algorithm as a means to enhance patient safety.
• The sepsis program at Medical City Plano won the 2009 American Society of Health-System Pharmacy (ASHP) Best Practice Award. This is a national award and only 6 programs were awarded in the entire country.
• The Tight Glycemic Control study evaluated the efficiency of our tight blood sugar control algorithm versus the traditional sliding scales to reduce high blood sugar in hospitalized patients.