Drug shortages are forcing hospitals in the Nashville area to rely on other hospitals for drugs they need to continue delivering safe and effective patient care, according to a news report by The Tennessean.
Drug shortages are becoming a nationwide concern due to consolidations in the pharmaceutical industry and drug discontinuations. As a result, healthcare organizations have had to rely on substitutions, which can increase the potential for a medication error. To reduce that risk, many hospitals have implemented protocols requiring clinicians to pause and take more precautions before handling a substitute medication or the same drug in a different size or concentration. A less risky measure hospitals have adopted is borrowing from other facilities that are a part of the same chain, such as Hospital Corporation of America and Ascension Health.
Meanwhile, federal agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration, and lawmakers are working to address the growing problem of drug shortages. The FDA, for example, publishes a list of drug shortages, alerts on manufacturing delays and other disruptions in the supply chain.
Read the news report about Tennessee hospitals addressing drug shortages.
Read other coverage about drug shortages:
- Drug Shortages Cost Providers $200M Annually, Endanger Patient Safety
- Virginia Hospitals Adapt to Drug Shortages
- 6 Strategies for Surgery Centers to Address Drug Shortages
Drug shortages are becoming a nationwide concern due to consolidations in the pharmaceutical industry and drug discontinuations. As a result, healthcare organizations have had to rely on substitutions, which can increase the potential for a medication error. To reduce that risk, many hospitals have implemented protocols requiring clinicians to pause and take more precautions before handling a substitute medication or the same drug in a different size or concentration. A less risky measure hospitals have adopted is borrowing from other facilities that are a part of the same chain, such as Hospital Corporation of America and Ascension Health.
Meanwhile, federal agencies, such as the Food and Drug Administration, and lawmakers are working to address the growing problem of drug shortages. The FDA, for example, publishes a list of drug shortages, alerts on manufacturing delays and other disruptions in the supply chain.
Read the news report about Tennessee hospitals addressing drug shortages.
Read other coverage about drug shortages:
- Drug Shortages Cost Providers $200M Annually, Endanger Patient Safety
- Virginia Hospitals Adapt to Drug Shortages
- 6 Strategies for Surgery Centers to Address Drug Shortages