Expansion of pharmacists' responsibilities in an emergency department.
OBJECTIVE
The role of pharmacists in the emergency department (ED) of an acute care hospital is described.


CONCLUSIONS
The ED staff at Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast care for approximately 80,000 patients per year, with approximately 215 patient visits per day. In July 2007, clinical pharmacy services were implemented in the ED, and four dedicated ED pharmacists were hired with the primary responsibilities of medication reconciliation for admitted patients and prospective review of physician orders. As these pharmacists became more involved with clinical interventions and physician consultations, two pharmacy technicians were placed in the ED to manage medication reconciliation under the supervision of a pharmacist. This allowed the ED pharmacists to assume additional clinical responsibilities, including management of patients' antimicrobial regimens, answering of medication-related telephone calls from discharged patients and the outpatient pharmacy, multidisciplinary team involvement, formal rounding, and participation in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.


CONCLUSIONS
ED pharmacists at one institution expanded their clinical role by taking on more direct patient care responsibilities. Pharmacists' interventions were well received by ED physicians, with an acceptance rate of 98%.
Randolph
Timothy C
TC
Emergency Medicine, Pharmacy Services, Carolinas Medical Center-NorthEast, 920 Church Street N., Concord, NC 28025, USA. timothy.randolph@carolinashealthcare.org
D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006745:Hospital Bed Capacity, 300 to 499; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D024382:Professional Role