Clinical practice is an integral part of pharmacy practice at Lutheran General Hospital. The pharmacy staff is actively involved in patient care, education and research activities. The Pharmacy Department's clinical activities are supported by eight clinical specialists.
All clinical specialists have advanced degrees and/or residency training. Their primary responsibilities are to provide clinical services in designated areas and to support the clinical activities of the entire pharmacy staff through the staff development program and by acting as resource persons. They participate in P&T Committee activities, drug use evaluations and adverse drug reaction reporting hospital wide. They participate in educating health care personnel throughout the institution, precepting pharmacy students and the hospital's pharmacy residents. They also act as liaisons and/or co-investigators for drug studies. Clinical specialists practice in Drug Information, Pediatrics, Infectious Diseases, Hematology/Oncology, Anticoagulation, Investigational Drugs, Medical and Surgical Intensive Care, and Cardiology.
Pharmacists focus on maximizing their encounters with other healthcare professionals and patients by working in a decentralized model throughout the hospital. They participate in patient care rounds, provide drug information, follow dosing protocols, participate in codes, and verify orders. They are supported by an excellent central team that drives the distribution of medications from the class 1000 intravenous preparation clean room and McKesson-HBOC Robot-Rx.