[What is the impact of changes in the drug circuit on dispensing activity during pharmaceutical duty?] / Quel impact des évolutions du circuit du médicament sur l'activité de dispensation durant la permanence pharmaceutique ?

INTRODUCTION: Pharmaceutical permanence (PP), outside the working hours of an in-house pharmacy (PUI), allows to guarantee the continuity of care in health-care institutions. A retrospective review of urgent drug dispensing was carried out in the light of changes in the drug circuit. MATERIALS AND METHOD: The analysis of drug dispensations was performed over a period from 2011 to 2019. The average number of drugs dispensed per shift, annual dispensations, and their variation by day of the week were studied. The increase is statistically significant and is found on both weekdays and weekends. Each drug was identified according to its Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification. Data on the activities of our institution (number of hospitalizations, average length of stay) were also collected. RESULTS: In 2011, an average of 36 medications were dispensed per on-call period, compared with 77 in 2019 (a doubling of activity). The increase is statistically significant and is found on both weekdays and weekends. Neurological drugs and anti-infectives represent on average 43 % of the drugs dispensed. At the same time, there was a decrease in average length of stay and an increase in hospitalizations (-10 % and +16 % respectively). DISCUSSION: The increase in the average number of medications dispensed per shift is notable. It reflects a strong and gradual increase in activity, which was increased when the full vacuum cabinets (FVCs) were introduced, which improved the quality and safety of the pharmaceutical circuit. The revision of the allocations and the information of prescribers on the drug circuit will optimize the activity and refocus it on the pharmaceutical analysis of urgent needs.

Invasive aspergillosis: drug-dispensing systems as a source of filamentous fungal contamination in high-risk units?

High-risk units with air-control measures at Grenoble University Hospital are equipped with automated dispensing systems that are filled daily using drug trolleys routed from the pharmacy to the ward. The aim of this study was to evaluate the level of filamentous fungi (FF) contamination present in trolleys under usual conditions and after cleaning with Aniosurf(®) (fungicidal disinfectant). FF were detected in all samples, and 83.3% of samples were contaminated with Aspergillus fumigatus. Cleaning trolleys with Aniosurf(®) decreased the level of FF significantly, but contamination re-appeared within 24 h due to storage in a non-controlled environment.

Drug-related problems in medical wards with a computerized physician order entry system.

OBJECTIVE: Identification and estimation, by clinical pharmacists participating in routine medical rounds, of drug-related problems (DRPs), arising despite the use of a computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system. METHODS: An 18-month prospective study of DRPs through a CPOE was conducted by seven clinical pharmacists participating in ward activity. DRPs were identified by two independent pharmacists using a structured order review (French Society of Clinical Pharmacy instrument). RESULTS: A total of 29 016 medication orders relating to 8152 patients were analysed, and 2669 DRPs, involving 1564 patients (56% female; mean age 72.6 years), were identified representing 33 DRPs per 100 admissions. The most commonly identified DRPs were non-conformity to guidelines or contra-indication (29.5%), improper administration (19.6%), drug interaction (16.7%) and overdosage (12.8%). There were 429 different drugs associated with these DRPs. Cardiovascular drugs were the most frequently implicated (22.2%), followed by antibiotics/anti-infectives (13.3%) and analgesics/antiinflammatory drugs (11.3%). Different types of DRPs were closely associated with specific classes of drugs. CONCLUSIONS: Drug-related problems are common even after implementation of CPOE. In this context, routine participation of clinical pharmacists in clinical medical rounds may facilitate identification of DRPs. Pharmacists should be able to enhance patient safety through such involvement.

[Drug supply chain safety in hospitals: current data and experience of the Grenoble university hospital]. / La sécurisation du circuit du médicament dans les établissements de santé : données actuelles et expérience du centre hospitalier universitaire de Grenoble.

Drug supply chain safety has become a priority for public health which implies a collective process. This process associates all health professionals including the pharmacist who plays a major role. The objective of this present paper is to describe the several approaches proven effective in the reduction of drug-related problem in hospital, illustrated by the Grenoble University Hospital experience. The pharmacist gets involved first in the general strategy of hospital drug supply chain, second by his direct implication in clinical activities. The general strategy of drug supply chain combines risk management, coordination of the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee, selection and purchase of drugs and organisation of drug supply chain. Computer management of drug supply chain is a major evolution. Nominative drug delivering has to be a prior objective and its implementation modalities have to be defined: centralized or decentralized in wards, manual or automated. Also, new technologies allow the automation of overall drug distribution from central pharmacy and the implementation of automated drug dispensing systems into wards. The development of centralised drug preparation allows a safe compounding of high risk drugs, like cytotoxic drugs. The pharmacist should develop his clinical activities with patients and other health care professionals in order to optimise clinical decisions (medication review, drug order analysis) and patients follow-up (therapeutic monitoring, patient education, discharge consultation).

[Economic impact of an automated dispensing system in an intensive care unit]. / Impact économique de la mise en place d'un automate de distribution des médicaments dans un service de réanimation.

OBJECTIVE: Automated dispensing systems (ADS) allow a reduction of medication errors and an improvement of drug distribution in clinical ward. The objective of this study was to evaluate the economic impact of ADS in an intensive care unit. STUDY DESIGN: A cost-benefit model was constructed based on the hospital perspective. METHODS: The system was evaluated before-after implementation of an ADS in a 12-bed cardiovascular intensive care unit of a French teaching hospital: (a) by a measuring nurse and pharmacy technician working time required for various tasks; (b) by measuring the cost of drug storage and the cost of expired drug; (c) by measuring the nurses' acceptability. RESULTS: After ADS was installed, nursing personnel spent less time on medication-related activities (mean of 1.9 hour/day of nursing time). Pharmacy technicians spent more time on floor-stock activities (mean of 0.7 hour/day of technician time). Implementation reduced the cost of drug storage by 56% (14,742 euros) and cost of expired drug by 9,086 euros per year. Finally, cost-benefit analysis including potential savings in terms of working time showed a net benefit of 71,586 euros (14,317 euros/year). The ADS was given high marks by the nurses; 77% wanted to keep it on their unit. CONCLUSIONS: Implementation of ADS is expected to generate direct savings for the hospital and working time reallocation, for nurses to interact with patients and for pharmacy technicians to get involved on the ward.

[Acceptability of computerized prescription writing in the hospital. Survey of 44 drug-prescribing physicians]. / Acceptabilité de la prescription informatisée à l'hôpital. Enquête auprès de 44 médecins prescripteurs.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this work was to assess the acceptability of computerized prescriptions delivered by hospital prescribers. METHODS: The study was conducted in four clinical units of the Grenoble University Hospital that have a computerized prescription system. Forty-four physicians using the system responded to a questionnaire concerning the act of prescribing and the benefits or drawbacks of the system. RESULTS: Generally, the computerized prescription system was well accepted. The first drawback mentioned was the time spent manipulating the software. Safe prescription was noted as one of the advantages. Overall, organizational rather than technical factors appeared to condition the development of computerized prescription writing. CONCLUSION: Optimization of computerized prescription writing requires a reorganization of the care unit. Consultation schedules and working relations between the prescriber and other healthcares and hospital pharmacies will have to be adapted.

[Bacterial contamination of multi-dose ocular solutions. A prospective study at the Grenoble Teaching Hospital]. / Contamination bactérienne des collyres multi-doses: étude prospective au CHU de Grenoble.

The bacterial contamination rate of multidose ocular solutions used by hospitalized patients was evaluated by culturing vial dropper tips and residual solution in vials. Bacterial colonies were counted and identified. Overall 39 (23.5%) selected vials were contaminated. Contamination rates were 17.7% (20/113) for vials used by ophthalmology ward patients and 35.8% (19/53) for vials used by internal medicine and gerontology patients (P < 0.02). The most commonly identified organisms were part of the normal commensal flora. Three ophthalmology patients were using vials contaminated with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. A significant (P < 0.01) positive correlation was found between vial contamination rate and duration of vial use. Vials containing an antimicrobial agent were less likely to be contaminated than vials without antimicrobials (P < 0.01). No clinical consequences of vial contamination were identified. However, ocular solution vial contamination carries a risk of infection. Our data are evidence of inadequate efficacy of preservatives present in ocular solutions. The standard practice of using ocular solution vials for seven days in health care facilities may need to be reappraised. Care should be taken to ensure that health care providers and patients understand the rules for ocular solution use. Unit-dose presentations may be preferable over multi-dose presentations for in hospital treatment.