EMH

News release

Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center’s pharmacy recently earned the 2021 Kentucky Society of Health System Pharmacists (KSHP) Innovative Health-System Pharmacy Practice Award for a small/rural hospital. This award acknowledges the institution that develops and implements state-of-the-art processes to improve patient care and contribute to the practice of pharmacy. The pharmacy has earned this award for the second year in a row.

“We are extremely honored to receive this award,” said Joan Haltom, Pharm D., FKSHP, system director of pharmacy, Ephraim McDowell Health.  “This achievement would not have been possible without our team of dedicated and highly trained individuals in our pharmacy.”

EMRMC’s inpatient pharmacy earned the award this year for the development of a dosing calculator for pediatric piperacillin/tazobactam (zosyn) and ampicillin/sulbactam (unasyn).  The dosing calculator prompts pharmacists to enter the patient’s weight and recommended dose. The calculator also allows pharmacists to choose which vial size to use for sterile compounding. Once the vial size is chosen the diluent amount, final volume after reconstitution and final concentration of the reconstituted solution is displayed to assist the compounding pharmacy technician. Additionally, the final volume needed to withdraw to make the final IV solution is calculated. Each calculator also prompts the pharmacist exactly how to enter the order into the electronic health record and gives the recommended rate of administration.

The dosing calculator helps assure correct dosing and also prevent inadvertent errors associated with ordering, preparation or administration of the medications. This tool helps the providers and care team in pediatric ready emergency rooms or when there are pediatric admissions.