Department of Pharmacy Policies & Procedures

Number: 4:07

Effective Date: September, 1984

Revisions: 10/96; 9/99; 7/09

Approval: October, 1999

Subject: DRUG INFORMATION

  1. POLICY
    2.

    The Pharmacy Department shall provide easily accessible knowledge-based information about drugs and drug usage. This information shall be current and authoritative. The pharmacists on staff shall be able to provide assistance to those individuals requesting drug information.

     

  2. SOURCES OF INFORMATION
    1. The Pharmacy website - provides a link to the searchable UAMS Formulary, all pharmacy policy and procedures, drug usage guidelines and other drug information.  The pharmacy website also provides links to policies and procedures for obtaining drugs.
    2. UAMS Formulary – can be searched online via the pharmacy website.  The formulary provides a listing of drugs stocked for patient care.
    3. The UAMS Medical Library provides extensive information both in printed matter and on-line when literature searches are necessary. Access to this service is available through the UAMS Web page in all areas of the hospital.
    4. UAMS provides access to the Internet for all areas. Information may be retrieved by performing a search through one of the search engines.
    5. AHFS-DI – is an online drug database that provides current authoritative monographs on drug products. This reference can be accessed online from the UAMS library website (http://online.statref.com/TOC/TOC.aspx?SessionId=FA094BGKHGWOXUHS).
    6. Micro-Medex – is another online drug database which allows quick access to information about drug availability, appearance, uses, studies and toxicity (campus only - http://campusnet2.ad.uams.edu:81/home/dispatch).
    7. Lexi-Comp - is another online drug database that provide current drug information and compatibility information  (http://online.lexi.com/crlsql/servlet/crlonline).
    8. A large number of current drug reference books are also maintained in the pharmacy for use in obtaining and/or providing drug information.
    9. The Drug Information and Poison Control Center in the College of Pharmacy on the campus is utilized when information need is complicated or not readily available in the normal sources, such as toxicology information.