Pharm. admin exam 1 Flashcards

1
Q

Inputs and Outputs

A

Inputs = resources

Outputs = goods and services

Customers pay for the outputs

The process of creating goods and services = operations

The activities of the operation transform resources into valued, profit-generating goods and services

Managing these activities = operations management

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2
Q

The link between operations and profitability

A

There are many costs associated with creating a product that is then sold or delivered to a patient or customer.

Exercises:
- List costs associated with creating prescription products in a community pharmacy setting
- List costs associated with providing pharmacy services in a hospital pharmacy setting

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3
Q

The link between operations and profitability

A

Profit = Output – input

After deducting all the costs associated with operating and creating goods and services that are sold, the money left over = profit.

Maximizing efficiency in the creation of the goods and services requires planning, analysis and management.

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4
Q

Non-tangible inputs or resources

A

Pharmacists’ knowledge

Customer service skills

Efficiency

Interpersonal skills

Others?
May be more important than some of the tangible inputs and resources

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5
Q

Suggested decisions under the purview (scope of influence) of pharmacy operations management

A

Designing goods and services

Process strategies

Managing quality

Location strategies

Layout strategies

Human resources

Scheduling

Supply-chain management

Inventory management

Maintenance

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6
Q

Designing goods and services

A

Goods are tangible

Services are non-tangible

Design of the goods is influenced by the manufacturer

MTM provides opportunities to design innovative and creative services
Scheduling
pharmaceutically elegant

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7
Q

Process strategies

A

The operations process involves many steps

The steps influence efficiency as well as the quality of goods and services

The capacity for each person in the process to produce work imposes limitations to the process

A flowchart of the process can be used to identify and evaluate the capacities of each element of the process and areas that can be improved

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8
Q

Managing quality

A

Quality of goods and services is essential

Quality of goods can be based on objective, measurable standards - so quality of goods is objectives

Quality of services is determined by subjective standards - quality of services is subjective

There are costs associated with maintaining quality and there are costs associated with providing poor quality

Internal failures occur before the customer receives goods or services

External failures are errors that reach the consumer

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9
Q

Location

A

Determines how easily and efficiently the inputs can be acquired (including wholesalers, qualified staff) as well as customers

Determines how easily outputs can be available to consumers

Determines what outputs need to be offered by the business (i.e. ethnicity of patient population)

The pharmacy manager may not influence the location of the actual pharmacy

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10
Q

Scheduling

A

A critical aspect of managing

Must meet regulatory requirements

Should be driven by the demand for goods and services

Involves the collection of data and charting or graphing to determine the demand for staff

Overspending on staff results in decreased profitability

Chase strategy vs level scheduling

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11
Q

Supply-chain management

A

The chain of businesses that supply pharmacies with the necessary inputs

Important to form strong relationships and agreements

Includes wholesalers, both primary and secondary

Who else could it possibly include?

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12
Q

Inventory Management

A

Inventory is the largest expense in both community and hospital pharmacy

Too much inventory = money sitting on the shelves, inability to pay bills

Too little inventory = inability to meet demand for goods and services, customers look elsewhere, inability to pay bills

Too much, too little = unsuccessful business

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13
Q

Maintenance of resources

A

Not managing resources necessary to provide goods and services = risk of resource failure

Includes maintenance of technology, physical facilities, staff, relationships, customers

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14
Q

Technology

A

Technology is used with a systematic approach to support pharmacy operations

Technology is defined as anything that replaces routine or repetitive tasks that were previously performed by people or which extends or enhances the capacity to do their work.

Technology includes automated compounders, counting machines, unit dosing machines, baker cells

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15
Q

Automation

A

Refers to any technology, device or machine that is linked to or controlled by a computer and used to actually do work that was previously done by humans

Includes computer systems (order entry, maintains profiles), automated dispensing systems

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16
Q

Point of care devices

A

Allow healthcare professionals to be more effective and efficient in everyday practice

Should include patient-oriented drug information as well as a mixture of primary, secondary, and tertiary literature like lexicomp

Must be updated frequently

May provide information from several software programs

17
Q

Internet information

A

Things to consider when evaluating the credibility of internet websites include
- Site ownership
- Authors of the material
- The review process
- Updates
- Believable claims
- Support for the information
- References

18
Q

Other technology

A

Surescripts: a pharmacy health information exchange network linking electronic communications between pharmacies and physicians allowing the electronic exchange of prescription information

Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE)
- instead of handwriting everything is done electronically

Telehealth: employs telecommunications and information technology combining practices, products, and services to deliver healthcare and information to any location

Telepharmacy: provision of pharmaceutical care through telecommunications at patients at a distance

19
Q

What is quality?

A

Quality can be defined as a degree of excellence

Quality in pharmacy can be defined as accuracy, efficiency and lack of error

Quality of medical care is evaluation of the performance of medical providers according to the degree to which the process of care increases the probability of outcomes desired by patients and reduces the probability of undesired outcomes, given the state of medical knowledge

20
Q

Quality in Pharmacy Practice

A

Represents a degree of excellence

Increases the probability of positive outcomes

Decreases the probability of negative outcomes

Corresponds with current medical knowledge

Offers the customer/patient what they want and expect

Provides the patient with what they need

21
Q

How is quality measured?

A

By assessing its:

  • Structure: the raw materials needed for production. Includes the number of pharmacists per shift, counter space, credentials and licensing, pharmacy square footage, references, stock, counseling facilities
  • Process: the method or procedure used. Includes all phases of the medication use process (prescribing, transcription (verification)dispensing, administration and monitoring)
22
Q

How is quality measured?

A

Outcomes: the end result:
Includes patients’ control of medical conditions

Decreased use of medical resources

Increasing patient knowledge of conditions, treatments and medications

Increasing adherence and compliance

Increasing patients’ satisfaction with their care

Cost efficiency

Improving patients’ quality of life

Improved morbidity and mortality rates

Decreased adverse event rates

23
Q

Methods for ensuring quality in pharmacy practice

A

Quality Assurance: the systematic monitoring and evaluation of the various aspects of a project, service or facility to ensure that standards of quality are being met.

Quality Control: an aggregate of activities designed to ensure adequate quality.

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI): a philosophy of continual improvement of the processes associated with providing a good or service that meets or exceeds customer expectations.

24
Q

CQI models

A

FOCUS PDCA
- Find an opportunity for improvement
- Organize a team
- Clarify current knowledge of the process
- Understand the causes of process variation
- Select the process improvement
- Plan
- Do
- Check (or Study)
- Act

oooh its an acronym
FOCUS PDCA
Plan Do Check Act

25
Q

What can pharmacists do to improve quality and decrease adverse events?

A

Promote a systems view culture personally and within their organization

Focus on high-level systems changes to promote medication safety

Implement small changes in short cycles

Implement interventions that have worked elsewhere (learn from best practices)

26
Q

Exercise

A

You are the manager of record in a community pharmacy. Several times over the last 6 months the wrong med has reached the patient because it was in their bag but was for a different patient.
Work through a CQI plan for this quality issue.

27
Q

Exercise

A

You work as a pharmacy supervisor in a community hospital. There have been several medication error reports filed by nursing in which an IV medication was delivered to the patient at the wrong rate.
- Work through a CQI plan for this quality issue.

team: nurses, quality members, pharmacy members