Inside Duke Medicine

The right medicine begins here

Pharmacists John Jung and Anu Sidhu prepare medication in the Durham Regional OR Satellite Pharmacy.

The Durham Regional Hospital Pharmacy is responsible for preparing and dispensing all medications administered to patients treated at Durham Regional. A team of 60 individuals, working from the Main Pharmacy and the OR Satellite Pharmacy, dispensed and delivered approximately 1.7 million medication doses in 2009.

Talk to anyone on the Pharmacy team, and you will repeatedly hear the word "safety." You will also notice an attitude of service and a sharp attention to detail.

In the past year, the Pharmacy has undergone renovations that are still in progress and, more recently, implementation of Omnicell technology, which is changing the way medications are prepared and dispensed. The end result is that most medications are housed on the patient care units, with less chance of medication errors and greater efficiency.

The intricate science of preparing and dispensing medications at DRH begins in the Main Pharmacy, where 200-300 medications arrive to the hospital on a given day.

The workflow changes throughout the department during each shift. Some of the team load medications into Omnicells, while others are working in the IV room or purchasing. However, the goal of providing safe and effective medications to patients never changes as staff rotate responsibilities.

“Accuracy is at the center of everything we do,” says Jimmy Farrow, pharmacy technician. “We have to have a sharp focus and always be alert.”

“I know that at the end of this medication there is a patient receiving it. I think about how I would want this medicine to be handled if the patient were my mother or grandmother. I would want them to get the best, safest care,” says La Jeania (Gina) Dixon, pharmacy technician.

Pharmacists’ responsibilities vary from shift to shift. Different than in retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacists spend a majority of their time consulting and rounding with physicians, nurses, patients and their families about medications.

“I chose to work in the hospital setting because I like being directly involved in patient care and working closely with clinicians and patients,” says Trish Long, PharmD.

With the adoption of the new Omnicell technology and the work flow changes, pharmacists now have more time to focus on patients at the bedside.

“Omnicell work flow changes have affected and continue to affect patient care in a very positive way” says Lynn Whitt, PharmD, Director of Pharmacy. “It has not been an easy task to change everything you know about your job in such a short period of time. The whole Pharmacy team has been outstanding—many have worked 12 to 16 hour shifts to implement this change. Their patience and work ethic has been tremendous during this transition.”

Read the full feature article about the Durham Regional Hospital Pharmacy team in the Regional Pulse newsletter.