Activities, functions, and structure of pharmacy and therapeutics committees in large teaching hospitals

Mark A. Mannebach, Frank J. Ascione, Caroline A. Gaither, Richard P. Bagozzi, Ira A. Cohen, Michael L. Ryan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

47 Scopus citations

Abstract

The results of a survey on the activities and functions of hospital- based pharmacy and therapeutics (PandT) committees are presented. Questionnaires were mailed to the pharmacy director or the person responsible for the pharmacy's drug information service at 267 teaching hospitals throughout the United States in 1994 and 1995. The survey questions covered PandT committee composition, functions, roles of members, policies and procedures, and formulary-maintenance activities. The overall response rate was 70%. The mean number of members on the PandT committees was 19.3, of whom 91% were allowed to vote. There was an average of 12.3 physicians on the committees. Each PandT committee had at least one pharmacist member, with an average of 3.2 pharmacist members; 69.5% of the institutions reported having a committee secretary, who was almost always a pharmacist. On almost all committees, pharmacists wrote the minutes, prepared the formulary review documents, and were responsible for monitoring formulary activities outside the meeting. The PandT committees functioned in a very formal manner. Most (87.7%) of the respondents reported that their institutions had a closed formulary. At all hospitals, the attending medical staff could request additions to the formulary, but at only 62.4% of the hospitals could pharmacy staff make a similar request. The committees were active in changing the formulary. PandT committees in large teaching hospitals are active in formulary management, are large and diverse, and consist mainly of physicians, although pharmacists play an important role in the meetings.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)622-628
Number of pages7
JournalAmerican Journal of Health-System Pharmacy
Volume56
Issue number7
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 15 1999

Keywords

  • Administration
  • Data collection
  • Drugs
  • Formularies
  • Hospital
  • Hospitals
  • Institutional
  • Pharmaceutical services
  • Pharmacists
  • Pharmacy
  • Pharmacy and therapeutics Committee
  • Physicians

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