A study in performance, opportunity, and development.
Today's health systems leaders recognize that the performance of the pharmacy department can be a vital element
in the success of a health system and the health of its patients. The high cost of medications and drug-related technology, combined
with the potential impact of medications and pharmacy services on patient-care outcomes and patient safety, make it imperative that
pharmacy departments perform at the highest level possible. Is yours? Find out with our new
interactive assessment tool now.
The characteristics that define "high performance" in hospital and health-system pharmacy, however, have not been well described or
agreed upon. A critical step in raising the level of performance in this setting is to articulate those characteristics and provide
guidance for achieving higher standards.
Based on an extensive literature review and the collective experience of the Health Systems Pharmacy Executive Alliance, the
High Performance Pharmacy
SM study identifies the core best practices that define hospital pharmacy high performance.
This landmark study captures and categorizes these pharmacy best practices so that health system executives and pharmacy
leaders can easily use them to improve their clinical outcomes and financial results.
The study identifies 8 key dimensions of high performance:
1. Leadership
2. Medication preparation and delivery
3. Patient care services
4. Medication safety
5. Medication use policy
6. Financial performance
7. Human Resources management
8. Education
Under these 8 dimensions, the study identifies over 70 elements of high performance, referencing published literature to support each element. The study estimates the level of effort required to implement each element and the expected impact on quality, safety, and financial performance.
With clear, concrete descriptions of performance-building practices and processes, this study is the basis for the High Performance Pharmacy and serves as a roadmap for hospital executives and pharmacy leaders to identify areas of opportunity and improvement.
