American journal of hospital pharmacy
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Cost justification for the establishment and continued operation of an operating room satellite pharmacy is described. Establishment of an operating room satellite pharmacy can be justified based on the need to recover lost revenue, regulate controlled substances, monitor inventory, and enhance communication between operating room personnel and the department of pharmacy. At a 510-bed community hospital, an internal audit performed before the satellite pharmacy was opened revealed an average loss of $14.53 in drug charges per surgical procedure; 16 months after the pharmacy opened, changes in the way drugs are distributed to the departments of surgery and anesthesia has resulted in a decrease in this loss to $9.61, or a 34% improvement. ⋯ Direct contact between operating room personnel and pharmacists has fostered discussions regarding cost-effective application of pharmacotherapy, and the potential for cost savings is substantial. Although the remaining loss of $9.61 per case must still be addressed, considerable progress has been made in a relatively short period of time. The satellite pharmacy in the operating room has led to increased revenue recovery, improved regulation of controlled substances and monitoring of drug inventory, and better communication among the involved personnel.
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The stability of midazolam hydrochloride in flavored gelatin was evaluated after storage at 4 degrees C for 14 days and at -20 degrees C for 28 days. A flavored liquid gelatin mixture was prepared and mixed with midazolam hydrochloride injection in final concentrations of midazolam 1 and 2 mg/mL. Gelatin cups containing 5 and 15 mg of midazolam were prepared by measuring appropriate volumes of the gelatin stock solutions and were stored in a refrigerator at 4 degrees C or in a freezer at -20 degrees C. ⋯ The midazolam content of the gelatin in the cups was uniform. An extemporaneously compounded preparation of midazolam hydrochloride in flavored gelatin was stable when stored for 14 days at 4 degrees C and for 28 days at -20 degrees C. Distribution of midazolam hydrochloride in the gelatin was uniform.