title: Ensuring optimal insulin utilization in the hospital setting: role of the pharmacist.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To summarize essential information for the hospital pharmacist to support the safe and effective use of insulin for the treatment of inpatient hyperglycemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ensuring optimal insulin utilization in the hospital setting requires collaboration of a multidisciplinary team, including physicians (and endocrinologists specifically), nurses, pharmacists, dieticians, diabetes educators, laboratory staff, quality management staff, and others. The role of pharmacists in this multidisciplinary team is to assist in the standardization of insulin therapy via selection of appropriate insulin treatment protocols, participate in formulary management of insulin products, and contribute to the development of order sets and policies and procedures to minimize the risk of medication errors and misadventures. In addition, pharmacists can provide guidelines or treatment recommendations in special situations, such as those involving patients receiving enteral or parenteral nutrition or high-dose corticosteroids and the transition from i.v. to subcutaneous insulin therapy. Education of patients and providers is another key role for pharmacists. Nurses are important allies in the effort to ensure safe insulin use, as they are at the bedside of patients administering and adjusting insulin therapy. Recommendations are provided for the safe and effective use of insulin for the treatment of inpatient hyperglycemia.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pharmacists are an integral part of the multidisciplinary team ensuring the safe and effective implementation of inpatient hyperglycemic control and insulin usage.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington Medical Center, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356015, Seattle, WA 98195, USA. rxpress@u.washington.edu
authors.forename: Janet L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007297:Inpatients; D007328:Insulin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010348:Patient Care Team; D010595:Pharmacists; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D024382:Professional Role
chemical_list: D007004:Hypoglycemic Agents; D007328:Insulin