Individuals who complete the Residency Program at West Penn Hospital (WPH) shall be highly qualified independent practitioners that demonstrate a commitment to patient-centered practice and professional leadership. They shall be highly proficient in managing medication use processes to optimize medication therapy outcomes in patients with a variety of disease states. Individuals will apply principles of evidence-based medicine within a multidisciplinary care environment. They will also exhibit leadership and practice management skills to promote the profession of pharmacy and facilitate their own professional development. They will effectively educate patients and their professional colleagues and engage in practice-related research to enhance patient care.
The WPH Department of Pharmacy provides 24-hour comprehensive pharmacy services, utilizing a decentralized, computerized unit-dose drug distribution system and intravenous admixture programs. Services include decentralized, computerized inventory control and procurement systems, integrated drug use review, and quality improvement. Extensive in-service education and staff development programs are also available.
Pharmacists assume direct patient care responsibilities for ensuring the safe and effective use of medications, in addition to supervising supportive pharmacy personnel. Pharmacists with specialized training provide expertise in advanced principles of pharmaceutical care in areas including pharmacokinetics, parenteral nutrition support, critical care, infectious diseases, internal medicine, hematology/oncology, neonatal, ambulatory care, and administration.
The Department of Pharmacy provides experiential learning opportunities for multiple schools of pharmacy including Duquesne University, University of Pittsburgh, and Lake Eric College of Osteopathic Medicine. Relationships with the academic centers and professional organizations are fostered to provide formal educational programs through clerkships, externships, internships, and residencies.
The mission of West Penn Hospital Pharmacy Department is to provide a positive patient experience across the care continuum. We support the patient through a learning culture focusing on medication safety, clinical outcomes, interdepartmental collaboration and fiscal responsibility. Our every decision is to improve the health of the patients and community we serve.
The WPH Department of Pharmacy provides consultative services in pharmacokinetics and nutrition support (total parenteral nutrition). A provider may request a consultation by entering an order in the electronic medical record. When such a request is received, a clinical pharmacist will review the patient’s medical record provide specific therapeutic recommendations to the requesting provider. Ongoing evaluation and adjustment of the therapeutic regimen will be provided as needed.
There is a pharmacy-driven medication use governance structure that centralizes leadership, integrates pharmacy operations, and enhances medication safety, clinical effectiveness, process efficiency and the quality of performance across WPH and nine other hospitals. The medication use governance structure is centered on the ten-hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee, which is composed of physicians, pharmacists, nurses, risk management, and a representative from senior health system administration.
