What We Do
What we do
 Pharmacy What We Do
The Pharmacy Department provides a full spectrum of pharmaceutical services that support optimal patient outcomes at Hackensack University Medical Center.

Medication Dispensing & Distribution  Medication Dispensing & Distribution
Clinical Services  Clinical Services
Medication Safety  Medication Safety
Drug Formulary  Drug Formulary
Pharmaceutical Research  Pharmaceutical Research
Patient and Staff Education  Patient and Staff Education

  Medication Dispensing & Distribution
The Pharmacy Department is responsible for dispensing and distributing medications to nearly 700 inpatients each day, as well as to hundreds more who undergo outpatient procedures. Getting medications to patients in the right dose at the right time requires meticulous operational planning and automated technology. Back to Top
  Clinical Services
As vital members of the healthcare team, hospital pharmacists directly impact patient care and clinical outcomes. They collaborate with physicians and nurses to assess medications, develop treatment plans, dispense drugs appropriately, monitor their effectiveness, and provide education whenever needed. Pharmacists are also skilled in advanced automated technology systems that are used for institutional dispensing and distribution. They also maintain optimal medication safety standards and practices.

The pharmacists of Hackensack University Medical Center are highly skilled professionals, and many have become well-respected educators in their field. (To read more about these educators, see Preceptors for the Pharmacy Practice Residency Program.)

Pharmacists with advanced training are called clinician pharmacists, and they provide direct patient care as part of a fully integrated healthcare team. They collaborate with physicians and other healthcare providers to:
  • review and assess a patient’s prescribed medication regimen to assure an optimal outcome to the drug therapy.
  • confer with the physician to modify prescription orders, when necessary, so that the most appropriate medication for the situation is selected.
  • monitor the effectiveness and/or toxicity of prescribed medications and screen for medication-related problems, such as inappropriate dosing, drug allergies, and adverse drug events and interactions. Physicians are informed of potential problems.
  • monitor antibiotic therapy to consistently check the blood level for toxicity and provide pharmacokinetic dosing for selected antibiotics.
  • educate other members of the healthcare team to be certain that those who administer medication to the patient know how to do so safely.
  • educate the patient about their medications during the hospital stay and/or upon discharge.
Clinician pharmacists at Hackensack University Medical Center specialize in the following areas of care:
      Antibiotic Monitoring
      Internal Medicine / Pharmacokinetic Dosing
      Nutrition Support
        (also called Hyperalimentation Monitoring)
      Critical Care Monitoring
      Emergency Medicine
      Pediatric Monitoring / Neonatal
      Anticoagulation Service
    Hackensack University Medical Center has developed an Anticoagulation Service for patients taking blood-thinning medications. (For more information about this service, see Anticoagulation Service.)
  Medication Safety
Medication safety is a top priority at Hackensack University Medical Center, which is one of a select number of institutions in the country that has a dedicated medication safety officer who is assigned to oversee pharmacy safety measures that include: strict adherence to regulatory standards; proactive Medication Safety Committee; technology that bolsters safety practices; and Pursuing Perfection initiatives. Back to Top
  Drug Formulary
Hackensack University Medical Center maintains a comprehensive drug formulary, which is a pre-determined inventory of drugs and medications that is continually updated and revised based on the clinical judgment of the medical staff. The formulary includes drugs that are considered safe and effective. Maintaining a drug formulary reduces costs by minimizing the duplication of the types of medications that are kept in stock.

  Pharmaceutical Research
The Pharmacy Department actively supports physician investigators who conduct drug research at Hackensack University Medical Center. The pharmacy stocks and dispenses investigational drugs in accordance with the study’s protocol, which is a pre-determined set of rules for an experiment. These directions are submitted by the principal investigator and include pertinent information regarding the pharmacological and therapeutic properties of investigational medications, dosing and monitoring parameters, and control guidelines.

The clinical pharmacy coordinator oversees investigational drug usage and clinician pharmacists provide education to the nursing staff regarding proper usage and side effects. As an integral part of the research study, the department also is responsible for accountability, storage, and inventory supply counts.

  Patient and Staff Education
The Pharmacy Department provides a comprehensive array of drug educational opportunities, including patient education, education for healthcare professionals, and the Pharmacy Practice Residency Program.

Patient Education
Drug information services for patients include:
Education for Healthcare Professionals
Clinician pharmacists routinely conduct educational lectures for medical and nursing personnel, and they provide orientation for residents, fellows, and attending physicians. Another educational source for medical providers is computerized access to Micromedex® HCS, a tool that is located on the Hackensack University Medical Center Intranet. At the click of a button, users can review in-depth, referenced data on dosing, pharmacokinetics, interactions, clinical applications, and efficacy, etc. for FDA- approved, investigational, and international drugs. Back to Top