title: Comparison of pharmacy services at critical access hospitals and other rural and small hospitals in Illinois.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The results of a survey evaluating pharmacy services and technology use at critical access hospitals (CAHs) and other small and rural hospitals in Illinois are reported.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mail survey was sent to pharmacy directors at 86 CAHs and other rural and small hospitals in Illinois not designated as CAHs. Independent sample t tests and chi-square statistics were used to compare CAHs and non-CAHs in areas such as pharmacy services, staffing, use of technology, and sterile compounding practices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The survey response rate was 46.5%, with usable data received from 40 hospitals. Analysis of the survey data indicated that hospitals designated as CAHs were significantly less likely than non-CAHs to have automatic therapeutic interchange policies (p = 0.012) and more likely to conduct pharmacist-provided educational programs on medication costs for physicians and other health care personnel (p = 0.037). Relative to non-CAHs, CAHs were significantly less likely to have automated dispensing cabinets (p = 0.016) and to out-source the preparation of sterile products to offsite vendors (p = 0.012); pharmacy directors at CAHs were less likely to report the use of technology for remote medication order entry or review (p = 0.038). At both types of facilities, pharmacists typically have both distributive and clinical responsibilities, and patient-specific clinical pharmacy services (e.g., patient education or counseling, other drug therapy monitoring, medication reconciliation, pharmacokinetic consultations) are offered at similar frequencies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A survey of pharmacy departments at small and rural hospitals in Illinois determined that there were more similarities than differences between CAHs and non-CAHs. The survey indicated significant differences in dispensing processes, the use of technology and drug policy tools, and outsourcing of sterile product preparation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy Systems, Outcomes and Policy, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL 60612, USA. crawford@uic.edu
authors.forename: Stephanie Y
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Crawford
authors.forename: Glen T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Schumock
authors.forename: Iulia D
authors.initials: ID
authors.lastname: Ursan
authors.forename: Julia D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Ursan
authors.forename: Surrey M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Walton
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Donnelly
mesh_terms: D004339:Drug Compounding / Q000379:methods; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006780:Hospitals, Rural / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000592:standards; D010595:Pharmacists / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D024382:Professional Role; D013242:Sterilization; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations