Emergency preparation and mitigation for COVID-19 response in an integrated pharmacy practice model.

Purpose: The purpose of this descriptive report is to share experiences in crisis response planning and risk mitigation at a university health system department of pharmacy with an integrated clinical practice model in the early months of the coronarvirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Summary: The department of pharmacy's COVID-19 pandemic response included successful planning and implementation of measures to maintain pharmacy operations and minimize COVID-19 exposure of patients and staff. These measures included ensuring adequate personnel staffing using flexible staffing solutions, ongoing assessment of supply chain integrity, and continuation of integrated clinical pharmacy services 24/7 throughout the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Impact of a Plan of Care Protocol on Patient Outcomes in People Who Inject Drugs With Infective Endocarditis.

Background: People who inject drugs (PWID) are at increased risk of deleterious sequelae due to infective endocarditis (IE). A standardized, hospital-wide drug use-associated infection protocol targeting medication safety, pain management, and limiting external risk factors was implemented at an academic medical center to improve outcomes in PWID with IE.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study included patients with active injection drug use and definite IE from January 2013 to July 2017 (preintervention group) and from September 2017 to January 2019 (intervention group).

Safety outcomes of apixaban in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and severe renal impairment.

Apixaban is prescribed for stroke prevention in nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) in patients with varying degrees of renal dysfunction. While pharmacokinetic data support apixaban in severe renal impairment, clinical safety outcomes data are limited. This retrospective cohort analysis was conducted to evaluate the safety of apixaban in patients with NVAF and renal impairment.

Tobramycin-induced hepatotoxicity.

Objective: To report a case of tobramycin-induced hepatotoxicity.

Case Summary: A 20-year-old female was hospitalized for treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteremia and osteomyelitis. Empiric intravenous antibiotic therapy with piperacillin/tazobactam, vancomycin, and ciprofloxacin was started, and based on the results of culture and sensitivity testing, was changed to intravenous ceftazidime and tobramycin 70 mg every 8 hours on hospital day 3.