HI All,

My organization has a 35+ year old EHR and it was "boxy but good" to quote the movie actor. It was a mainframe with GUI applications but pharmacy worked in the blue mainframe called VISTA - we could see everything. It was fast and was molded to the highest possible functionality for medication safety (like fully integrated with safety checks in our mail order pharmacy, very sophisticated clinical rules, etc.).

HI All,

My organization has a 35+ year old EHR and it was "boxy but good" to quote the movie actor. It was a mainframe with GUI applications but pharmacy worked in the blue mainframe called VISTA - we could see everything. It was fast and was molded to the highest possible functionality for medication safety (like fully integrated with safety checks in our mail order pharmacy, very sophisticated clinical rules, etc.).

Hello all,

HI All,

We have had very tightly integrated health system that relies on 30+ year old mainframe software. It was "boxy but good" to quote an old movie.

We are currently converting to Cerner. We have one very small site live but we are struggling with the lack of integration between Cerner EHR and Meds Manager Retail aka MMR (essentially a "retail pharmacy" module, rather than an integrated health system ambulatory care software). It is installed in the Department of Defense but their care model and our care model are not close to being similar.

We are in the process of transitioning several of our physical kits for immediate use outside of pharmacy (vial, appropriate IV fluid bag, adapter such as vial-2-bag or vial-mate, and label heat sealed within a bag) to electronic kits (several of you do this already). We will keep physical kits within our ADCs for several immediate use compounding needs, such as items that are continuous infusion (such as pressors).

Hello All,
Has anyone come up with innovative ways to funnel information from the biweekly ISMP Alerts to the pertinent bedside staff? At my organization, the administrative level participants of the Med Safety committee receive the alerts but the information isn't getting to the right staff members. Please share your struggles and successes.
Thanks,
Cicely Williams,PharmD

Methergine and Hemabate require refrigeration. Our RNs take them out of the refrigerators to have them available for use. If not used, they return them to the refrigerators. This can occur multiple times until used.... please share if you have a process to avoid this warming/cooling cycle. Thanks--

Our 8-hospital system recently switched from Alaris to ICU Plum 360 pumps. One of the features of this pump is the ability to attach syringes to line B and administer IV push medications via the pump. This can be a big nurse satisfier for drugs that require slow IV push times, but it requires thoughtful attention to detail and the development of strong policies/procedures and education. (Has anyone gone through this exercise? We would love to see your examples!!)

In your organizations how do you ensure that a medication which is prepared in OR before a procedure is labelled with required elements. Are there any predesigned stickers? we often struggle with unlabeled medication containers that contain medications and are prepared right before procedures. Some of these containers in which medications are poured are sterilized and putting a sticker on it is not possible. I want like to learn how this is managed in your institutions.
Thank you

Good Afternoon,

For those using ketamine infusions for sedation in mechanically ventilated patients, can you please share any protocols, policies, or order sets that you have in place?

Thank you.