American journal of hospital pharmacy
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The incidence and causes of drug-related hospital admissions and visits to an emergency department were evaluated. A retrospective chart review was conducted to identify drug-related visits and admissions for all patients who visited the emergency department of a 517-bed tertiary-care institution during a four-month period. Drug-related illnesses were classified as adverse drug reaction (ADR), overdose or abuse, noncompliance, drug interaction, or toxicity. ⋯ The average length of stay for patients who were admitted was 5.8 days, and the average cost of admission was $8888. Drug-related illnesses accounted for 2.9% of hospital admissions and visits for patients in the emergency department. The most commonly identified drug-related illnesses were overdose or abuse, noncompliance, and ADRs; the drug classes most commonly implicated were drugs of abuse, anticonvulsants, and antibiotics.
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The establishment and responsibilities of the organ procurement and transplantation network in the United States are discussed, and the process of receiving an organ transplant through the system is described. The National Organ Transplant Act of 1984 provided for a federally funded network for organ procurement and transplantation, which would function as a private, non-profit organization. This organization is the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS). ⋯ An organ recovery coordinator from the local OPO helps the hospital staff in determining donation potential, seeking consent from the next of kin, and managing the donor after consent has been obtained. The OPO--never the donor's family or their insurer--is billed for charges relating to the donation. The OPO then bills the costs associated with the donation to the transplant centers receiving each organ for implantation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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The effects of pharmaceutical care on medication cost and quality of care in a university-based family-practice clinic were studied. Prognostic indicators were used to target patients who should receive pharmaceutical care. Those patients who received care. ⋯ For 8 (16%) of 50 unaccepted recommendations, the patient's status declined. The peer review panel agreed with 86% of the pharmacist's recommendations. The provision of comprehensive pharmaceutical care in an ambulatory-care clinic can both reduce medication costs and improve quality of care.