GENERAL PHARMACY INFORMATION

1. THE PHARMACY DEPARTMENT

The Pharmacy Department consists of the Hospital Pharmacy, the Outpatient Pharmacy, and the ACRC satellite.

1. The primary function of the Hospital Pharmacy is to support the drug therapy of hospitalized patients. This Pharmacy is licensed by the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy under the provisions of a Hospital Pharmaceutical Services Permit.

The Hospital Pharmacy is located in Room G1000 on the ground floor of the Ward Tower. This is where I.V. Admixture and Dispensing Sections are located. A pharmacy satellite is open to service the surgery suite during daytime and evening hours.

2. The outpatient pharmacy provides outpatient prescription services to ambulatory patients who receive their medical care at The University Hospital of Arkansas, U.A.M.S. students and/or employees and their immediate families.

The outpatient pharmacy is licensed by the Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy and operates under the statutes and regulations pursuant to a Registered Pharmacy Permit.

The outpatient pharmacy is located on the first floor of the Outpatient Center Building.

2. PHARMACY HOURS

1. Hospital Pharmacy — The Main Pharmacy is open continuously 24 hours each day. A Pharmacist is always on duty.

2. The OR satellite is open from 6 a.m.. to 5:15 p.m.. on Monday through Friday. It is closed on holidays.

3. Outpatient Pharmacy — The pharmacy is open from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is closed on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays.

4. The ACRC oncology satellite is open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. everyday except holidays.  On holidays the hours are from 7:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

3. PHONE NUMBERS

1. Pharmacy Office 686-6220

2. Hospital Pharmacy

  Dispensing Section 686-6221

  I.V. Section 686-6223

3. Outpatient Pharmacy 686-5530

Outpatient Pharmacy Fax 686-5055

  Physician’s Line 686-7828

4. ACRC-Oncology Satellite 686-8244

 

4. DRUG INFORMATION

The U.A.M.S. campus has two sources for Drug Information:

1. General Information for immediate use in patient care situations is available from the Hospital Pharmacy (Ext: 686-6221) for hospitalized patients and from the Outpatient Pharmacy (Ext: 686-5330) for outpatients.

2. Drug Information inquiries requiring more extensive research of published data are to be directed to the POISON AND DRUG INFORMATION CENTER of the College of Pharmacy (Ext. 686-5540).

 

5. HOSPITAL PHARMACY SECURITY

For the safety of the pharmacy staff and drug security, the Hospital Pharmacy is always locked. A service window is available at the pharmacy entrance and is accessible at all hours. If access to the pharmacy is needed, it is granted by request at the window.

 

6. DISPENSING OUTPATIENT PRESCRIPTIONS

1. Outpatient prescriptions are to be dispensed by the Outpatient Pharmacy. Prescriptions are limited to those written for U.A.M.S. ambulatory patients, patients being discharged from The University Hospital of Arkansas and for U.A.M.S. employees or students and their immediate families.

2. The Hospital Pharmacy is licensed to operate under the provisions of a Hospital Pharmaceutical Permit issued by the State of Arkansas. The dispensing of drugs and pharmaceuticals to an outpatient or patient being discharged is limited. Routine outpatient prescriptions or discharge medications cannot be dispensed by the Hospital Pharmacy.

3. The Emergency Room has a small supply and variety of medications with which to treat patients. Patients needing additional supplies for treatment will be given a prescription(s) for these quantities. Such prescriptions may be dispensed by the outpatient pharmacy during regular hours of operation or taken to a community pharmacy of the patient’s choice.

    

7. OUTPATIENT PRESCRIPTION BLANKS

Outpatient Prescription Blanks are obtained by the nursing unit from the UAMS distribution center.. The blanks are issued in batches and are imprinted with the identification of the patient care area to which they are to be distributed. Prescription blanks will only be issued during normal working hours. Access to prescription blanks at the Nursing Unit must be limited to authorized personnel only. Prescription blanks are not to be transferred from one area to another. This procedure has been established to try to limit access and reduce the number of forged prescriptions on University Hospital Prescription Blanks.

 

8. ADVERSE DRUG REACTION REPORTING PROCEDURE

An ADVERSE DRUG REACTION is a noxious and unintended reaction, reasonably associated with the use of a drug, which occurs at doses normally used in man for the prophylaxis, diagnosis, or therapy of disease, or for the modification of physiological function, or which occurs with an unusual dose of a drug either intended or unintended.

ADVERSE REACTIONS to drugs are inevitable when potent drugs are used. Many of these reactions are unavoidable accompaniments of therapy with potent drugs. The potential benefit of using a drug to treat a specific condition in a particular patient can at times outweigh the risk to the patient. In order to make such decisions the physician must have access to "risk" data. At other times ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS could be avoided or lessened if better drug information is readily available.

Reporting Procedure:

1. All suspected adverse drug reactions shall be recorded in the nursing notes. This record shall include:

1. A description of the patient’s symptoms and vital signs.

2. Treatment administered consequent to the reaction, if any.

3. The name of the physician who is notified.

2. The suspected reaction shall be reported to the primary physician and/or attending physician on the service. It is the responsibility of the physician to assess the reaction and to make a record of the occurrence and the action taken in the physician’s progress notes.

3. All professional personnel are responsible for reporting adverse drug reactions. Cards are supplied in all patient care areas to report the basic information on the reaction. The front of the card is to be completed and sent to the pharmacy. The back of the card is to be completed by the pharmacist with physician consultation when necessary.

4. All ADVERSE DRUG REACTIONS are reported to the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee (P&T).

5. Severe and unusual adverse reactions are reported to the Food and Drug Administration.

    

9. DRUG SAMPLES

Samples of prescription drugs are to be controlled by the Pharmacy Department and should be maintained and dispensed by that department.

Individual outpatient areas may maintain a supply of sample prescription drugs if they develop and adhere to a strict distribution and inventory policy. Outpatient areas wishing to maintain a supply of samples must put their policy in writing and forward it to the Director of Pharmacy, along with the name(s) of the person(s) who will be responsible for their samples.

This policy addresses only prescription drugs. Dispensing of these drugs is under the supervision of a physician. Drug samples are to be dispensed to patients for their use at home.

Sample drugs will not be used in the hospital.

Under no circumstances will samples of Schedule II drugs be kept in an outpatient area. Any samples of Schedule II drugs must be kept in the pharmacy and dispensed from there.

For further details regarding the stocking of Drug Samples contact the Director of Pharmacy, extension 686-6220.

 

10. INVESTIGATIONAL DRUG USE

1. The Human Research Advisory Committee is responsible for the review and approval of research protocols at U.A.M.S.

2. The approved protocol and a "completed" Patient Consent Form are a prerequisite to the use of an Investigational Drug in the treatment of a human subject.

3. Upon approval of a protocol involving drug use, the Principal Investigator will forward a copy of the ENTIRE PROTOCOL and all pertinent drug information to the Hospital Pharmacy, Room G1000, Slot #571.

4. The supply of the investigational drug and/or any supply of commercially marketed drug obtained for protocol use shall be brought to the Hospital Pharmacy.

5. The Pharmacy Department shall dispense and record all drugs used in accordance with the approved protocol. Nursing procedures prohibit the administration of drugs other than those supplied by the Pharmacy.

6. The Principal Investigator and the predesignated associate investigators are the only physicians who may write orders for an investigational drug.

7. Occasionally an Investigational Drug is needed to treat a specific patient. A letter of approval can be obtained from the Chairman of Human Research Advisory Committee. A copy of this letter and the drug are to be forwarded to the Hospital Pharmacy Room G1000, Slot #571.