Our Mission
The Pharmacy Department is an innovative team that safely and efficiently provides quality medication therapy and outcomes to the patients and communities we serve.
Our Vision
The members of the Deaconess Pharmacy Department, which is composed of over 95 pharmacists, over 75 technicians, 12 pharmacy interns, and 2 pharmacy residents, work together to provide the staffing: To be the regional leader in medication therapy by providing safe, quality, and cost-effective program that ensure proper medication use and will improve the health of our employees, patients, and community.
Pharmacy Leadership
The management model of the Pharmacy Department includes the following job roles: System Director of Pharmacy/Laboratory, System Operations Manager, System Clinical Manager, System Medication Safety Pharmacist, System Deaconess Family Pharmacy Manager, System Ambulatory Manager, System Regulatory Manager, and Campus Supervisors.
In addition, Lead Pharmacists and Lead Technicians are involved in the daily management of operations, women/children's services, antimicrobial stewardship, clinical services, and ambulatory areas. These pharmacists focus in their respective areas to improve safe medication delivery, remarkable clinical services, and program development. The Director of Pharmacy/Lab reports directly to the Vice-President of Ancillary Services.
Hours of Operation and Key Contacts
The Pharmacy Department is open 24 hours per day at Deaconess Midtown Hospital and Deaconess Gateway Hospital. The Women’s Hospital Pharmacy operates from 6 AM to 10 PM during the weekdays and 7 AM to 3:30 PM on weekends. Pharmacy services for The Women’s Hospital are provided by Gateway Pharmacy after hours with highly-training Women's staff on-call.
- System Director of Pharmacy and Laboratory Services: Brian Spencer, PharmD, BCPS
- System Clinical Manager: Meredith Petty, PharmD
- System Ambulatory Pharmacy Manager: Amy Harris, RPh, BCPS
- System Operations Manager, Justin Greubel: PharmD, BCPS, MHA
- System Regulatory Manager: Laura Stock, PharmD
- System Deaconess Family Pharmacy Manager: Tom Fite, RPh
- System Medication Safety Pharmacist: Amanda Kelley, PharmD, BCPS
- Campus Supervisor (Gateway, Womens): Josh Koch, PharmD
- Campus Supervisor (Midtown, Henderson, CrossPointe): Kole Thornton, PharmD
- Clinical Lead Pharmacist: Michelle Schymik, PharmD, BCPS
- Clinical Lead Pharmacist: Katie Theising, PharmD, BCPS
- Regulatory Lead Pharmacist: Tina Ward, PharmD, BCPS
- Women’s Hospital Pharmacy Lead Pharmacist: Thomas Petersen, PharmD
- Specialty Pharmacy Lead Pharmacist: Anna Gibson, PharmD, BCOP
- Ambulatory Lead Pharmacist: Traci Fritschle, PharmD, BCPS, BCADM
- Operations Lead Technician: Eric Lehman
- Chairman of Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee: Mathias Kolleck, MD
Medication Distribution and Technology
The pharmacy provides 24 hour and 365 day access to pharmacist and pharmacy services. Technology plays a very important role in the distribution process within Deaconess Health System. The Pharmacy Department is highly automated and utilizes
- Epic Hospital Enterprise System
- PhACTs Carousel with Pharmogistics software
- Omnicell Automated Dispensing Cabinets
- Baxa Abacus TPN Compounder
- Portable phone for constant availability of clinical pharmacists
- Alaris Smart Pump
Pharmacists who are working in the Central Pharmacy are working in a well-planned, modern, spacious environment.
Medication distribution is using a cartless model with maximizes the utility of Omnicell Automated Dispensing Cabinet (ADC) and Single Point software. This system allows efficient use of technician time and ensures that the medications are readily available to the nurse in the Omnicell at appropriate time. The combination of Dispense Prep, Dispense Check, and Dispense Track use barcode technology to help provide an added level of safety for sterile product preparation and distribution. A perpetual inventory is maintained through PhACTs Carousel and this technology allows our distribution system to be entirely bar-code technology driven.
The hospital launched a hospital-wide information system called Epic in November 2009. The Ambulatory components of Epic, which are managed by the pharmacy department, include the Deaconess Anticoagulation Clinic and the Medication Therapy Management Program (MTM). The MTM clinic has expanded to play a role in the health system's wellness program. The Epic inpatient system encompasses the pharmacy order verification component, electronic MAR, bedside barcode administration, as well as nursing clinical records. Computerized physician order management (CPOM) is also performed in Epic and pharmacy is involved in the development of decision support used in CPOM. Willow Ambulatory was implemented in 2023 and allows seamless information sharing between inpatient and outpatient records.
Pharmacy manages the drug database for the wireless Alaris System technology. Alaris Smart Pump technology and point of care activated devices are utilized throughout the health system to ensure safe medication administration of IV related products.
Training and Credentials
Eight weeks of one-on-one on the job training and mentoring about pharmacy specific policies and procedures is provided for pharmacists and technicians. Training time is dependent upon previous experience and background.
Education and training continue to be a benefit and are strongly encouraged well after the initial phase of training. These benefits include monthly competencies, journal club, and expansion into additional roles after additional training. The hospital also encourages advanced credentials and provides additional compensation for successful completion of Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BCPS, BCOP, BCCCP, BCACP, BC-ADM, BCIDP) certification, National Certified Anticoagulation Care Provider Certification (CACP), or a master’s degree (MBA, MHA).
All technicians are required to obtain their PTCB certification within a reasonable time from hire.
Technician-to-Pharmacist Ratio, Staffing and Turnover/Vacancy Rates
Technicians complete the drug fills for patient-specific doses and ADC (automated dispensing cabinet) fills and also prepare the IV products. Technicians can be approved for technician product verification with additional training. Due to the use of technology, the technician to pharmacist ratio is slightly less than 2:1. Pharmacist checks are critical at the time of packaging to assure accuracy of bar coding for the robot and for ADC fills.
There are over 200 employees to provide support for pharmacy services cover the Midtown, Gateway, and Henderson campuses. A patient-centered model is used to provide care for our inpatients. Staffing is provided using a famiily-friendly self-scheduling program. This model has offered significant employee satisfaction while reducing turnover.
Turnover Rate < 3%
Awards
Deaconess Health System and the Pharmacy Department have been given numerous awards and recognized for service in professional organizations.
- Deaconess PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency Program granted the maximum accreditation
- 2024 Deaconess Pharmacy Medication Assistance Program (MAP) and Medication Therapy Management Clinic (MTM) received the Programs and Projects Health & Social Services Award from Leadership Everyone
- 2015 Designated Anticoagulation Center of Excellence for both Inpatient Pharmacy Services and Outpatient Deaconess Anticoagulation Clinic
- 2013 Deaconess Anticoagulation Clinic designated as an Anticoagulation Center of Excellence
- 2013 Deaconess Pharmacy was awarded Preceptor Excellence Award from Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville
- 2012 Deaconess Pharmacy was awarded Indiana Pharmacists Alliance Organization Medication Safety Award
- 2012 Laura Stock, Medication Safety Pharmacist, was awarded Indiana Pharmacists Alliance Individual Medication Safety Award
You are welcome here!
Deaconess Pharmacy offers equal employment opportunity to all applicants for employment and to all employees regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, citizenship, sexual orientation, ancestry, marital status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
Diversity and inclusion are valuable elements of the Deaconess Health System Pharmacy.. We value diversity in all its varied expressions, including but not limited to gender, race, ethnicity, physical ability, sexual orientation, and gender identity. As our workforce becomes more diverse we embrace the opportunity to find ways of enabling people of many different backgrounds to make valuable contributions in our organization, thus increasing the quality of care we deliver to our patients . Our strive in our post graduate training program is to provide a diverse educational environment that fosters success of learners to provide culturally competent care, become inclusive of the population we serve and create a clinical environment that provides high quality care to our community.
Summary
Pharmacists and the respective technical staff serve as a critical component in the delivery of medication safety throughout the Deaconess Health System (DHS) to assure optimal patient outcomes. The culture of DHS is focused on patient/employee/physician satisfaction and patient safety using evidence based medicine to provide the best possible outcomes for patients served. It is our goal to ensure every patient receives the highest quality care.