Policies of the pharmacy and therapeutic committee

• the Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee is an integral part of healthcare institutions, particularly in hospitals. Its role revolves around ensuring the safe, effective, and cost-effective use of medications.

• Let's delve into the details of some of the policies and responsibilities of the P&T Committee:

1. Including Drugs into the Formulary:

Purpose:

• A hospital formulary is a list of approved medications that can be prescribed within the institution.

• The inclusion of a drug in the formulary ensures its availability and that it has been evaluated for safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness.
  

Policy:

• Review of New Drugs: The committee evaluates newly FDA-approved drugs and those not currently on the formulary, based on clinical evidence, safety profiles, cost implications, and therapeutic need.

• Consideration of Therapeutic Equivalents: Costly brand-name drugs might be replaced with cheaper generics if they're therapeutically equivalent.

• Periodic Review: Drugs on the formulary are periodically reviewed to ensure they remain relevant and beneficial.

Here is a diagram illustrating the process of "Including Drugs into the Formulary" based on the provided details:

2. Inpatient Prescription:

Purpose:

• Ensure safe and effective use of medications for hospitalized patients.

Policy:

• Standard Order Sets: Often developed to guide the prescription of commonly used drugs in specific conditions.

• Dose Ranges: Establishing safe dose ranges for different patient groups (e.g., pediatrics, geriatrics).

• Drug Interactions: Implementing systems to alert prescribers of potential drug-drug or drug-food interactions.

Here is a diagram illustrating the process of "Inpatient Prescription" based on the provided details:

3. Outpatient Prescription:

Purpose:

• Address medication needs of patients after discharge or those visiting outpatient departments.

Policy:

• Limiting Quantities: Some drugs might have restrictions on the amount dispensed to prevent misuse or overuse.

• Refill Policies: Guidelines on when and how often a prescription can be refilled.

• Patient Counseling: Ensuring pharmacists provide essential information about drug usage, side effects, storage, and more.

Here is a color diagram illustrating the process of "Outpatient Prescription" based on the provided details:

4. Automatic Stop Order:

Purpose:

• Prevent prolonged use of certain medications unless specifically indicated and re-ordered by a physician.

Policy:

• Duration Limit: Drugs like antibiotics might have a default duration (e.g., 5 days) after which they're automatically discontinued unless re-ordered.

• Monitoring Requirement: Some medications might require regular monitoring (like blood tests) and could be stopped if these aren't done.

• Review and Override: Providers can review and override a stop order if there's a therapeutic reason to continue the medication.

Here is a color diagram illustrating the process of "Automatic Stop Order" based on the provided details:

5. Emergency Drug List Preparation:

Purpose:

• Ensure the availability of essential life-saving drugs in emergency situations.

Policy:

• List Compilation: The committee determines which drugs are essential in emergencies based on the institution's patient population and potential emergency scenarios.

• Stock Levels: Ensuring there are adequate stock levels of these medications and that they are easily accessible.

• Expiry Monitoring: Regular checks to ensure emergency drugs haven't expired and are replaced as needed.

• Training: Ensuring relevant staff (like ER personnel) are trained in the use, dosing, and administration of these drugs.

Here is a diagram illustrating the process of "Emergency Drug List Preparation" based on the provided details:

simplified list of commonly used emergency medications along with their usual adult doses. Keep in mind that the doses are general guidelines and might vary based on the institution, the clinical situation, patient factors, and updated recommendations.