Pharmacy Services

Services Provided

The pharmacy department provides centralized services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week within the
inpatient acute care service line and decentralized service at the outpatient infusion center. The
Pharmacy Department uses electronic clinical information system to ensure a safe medication process.

The system allows for computerized prescriber order entry (CPOE), guidance from evidence-based order sets as well as bedside barcode medication administration (BCMA). Medication distribution is optimized by the use of automated dispensing cabinets throughout the institution. The department is staffed by a total of 49 full time equivalents providing a wide range of operational and clinical services both on the inpatient and ambulatory care sides. Our pharmacy technicians are highly trained professionals who are competent to perform a wide range of technical and patient care activities including the compounding of both sterile and non-sterile products. Clinical generalist pharmacists work in the main pharmacy fielding drug information requests, reviewing laboratory data, allergies and vetting appropriateness of all medications ordered through the CPOE system while overseeing the medication distribution activities of pharmacy technicians. Clinical specialist pharmacists are decentralized throughout the institution providing specialized pharmaceutical care at the bedside and in the outpatient settings.

Clinical Services

The presence of decentralized clinical pharmacist specialists is a great source of satisfaction to our patients in addition to the rest of the interdisciplinary team. The specialists have been instrumental in improving patient satisfaction survey scores as they pertain to communication about medications, educating patients on what their medications are for and what side effect to expect.

Their daily activities are focused on patient monitoring, rounding with prescribers, providing medication information to both patients and other members of the health care team. Clinical specialists are decentralized in the ICU, Emergency Department, Psychiatry, Medical-Surgical units, and more. Clinical activities are further supported by two Rutgers faculty members and an antimicrobial stewardship pharmacist. Our highly specialized staff serves as preceptors for our ASHP Accredited PGY1 Residency Program as well as students on rotation from Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers University. Residents from other hospitals are also frequently hosted by JCMC preceptors.

Patient care services performed by clinical specialists and residents include but are not limited to:

  • Discharge counseling consult for patients who meet criteria for high risk for readmission
  • Medication reconciliation monthly audit
  • Vancomycin IV dosing and monitoring consult
  • Monitoring and recommending antimicrobial changes based on rapid-diagnostic test results
  • Attending medical emergencies

Education

Jersey City Medical Center has long been a training site for Rutgers University College of Pharmacy. With 2 Clinical Assistant Professors and multiple clinical specialist serving as adjunct preceptors, the department provides rigorous intermediate and advance practice experience to academic trainees throughout the year.

Our clinical specialists also routinely engage in education of pharmacy staff via weekly staff meetings and annual competencies such as antimicrobial stewardship, vancomycin dosing and monitoring, and more. Specialists educate other health care staff via routine lectures to Medical Resident Noon Conferences and other disciplines such as Surgery and Geriatric Grand Rounds. Clinical specialists routinely provide nursing education at nursing huddles. These teaching opportunities are also provided to resident and student learners to hone their teaching skills. At JCMC, we utilized Layered Learning Practice Model, designed to train resident learners to precept students, while clinical specialists provide oversight. Learners, in turn, provide valuable feedback to the learning experience and preceptorship, which enhances continuing learning for each individual.

Pharmacy’s clinical and education services and responsibilities, when redistributed amongst learners in this format, helps expand our patient care reach and satisfy increasing demands for pharmacists. Our pharmacy staff continually strive to enhance their own learning and elevate their credentials.

Currently over 95% of the pharmacy technicians are certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Currently 2 pharmacists hold dual specialty board certifications and 11 pharmacists hold one specialty board certification.

Research

Research and quality improvement programs underscores the department’s goals of providing high quality patient care services and encouraging innovation. The department engages in individual research projects, collaborations with other disciplines, and with other health professionals and students at Rutgers University College of Pharmacy.

Recent research and quality improvement projects and topics of interests include but not limited to:

  • 2022-2023 Joss Delaune PGY-1 resident’s research project “Implementing a Single Antibiotic Prophylaxis Protocol for Open Fractures and the Effect on Antibiotic Administration Time”
  • 2022-2023 Kelly Yusko PGY-1 resident’s research project ” Impact of Early Routine MRSA Nasal PCR Collection on De-escalation of Empiric Anti-MRSA Antibiotic Therapy in Patients with Suspected Pneumonia”
  • Vancomycin Dosing by Pharmacy Initiative (AUC/MIC Dosing Platform) and nephrotoxicity rates and associated outcomes
  • Duration of antibiotic therapy after discharge
  • The effect of implementing a pharmacist-response service for rapid-diagnostic blood sample results.
  • Long-acting antipsychotics versus comparators and risk of readmission
  • Outpatient psychiatry pharmacist initiatives: therapeutic drug monitoring protocol, clozapine clinic, EPS and AIMS assessments and monitoring
  • Effect of Pharmacist in a Hep C treatment program at the Greenville Clinic
  • Collaborative practice agreement establishment with outpatient Ambulatory Care Clinic – Outpatient Behavioral health
  • Christine Dimaculangan, our Rutgers Clinical Assistant Professor and Ambulatory Care Specialist, attained a grant award conferred by Society of Infectious Diseases Pharmacists (SIDP), for the 2021 SIDP Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Research Award of $20,000. The grant was awarded in January 2022, in order for Christine to conduct her research titled “Project PLAY: Pharmacists-Led PrEP EducAtion in Young Adults.”

Recent publications include:

  • Steve Smoke, Vishal Patel, and Nicole Leonida. The DOOR to antibiotic stewardship: refining assessments of interventions with desirability of outcome ranking. 2021 Jan 12. Journal of Pharmacy Practice. Online ahead of print.
  • Steven Smoke, Henry Leach, Nicole Leonida, et al. Medication safety in a pandemic: A multicentre point prevalence study of QTc monitoring of hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19. Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. 2021;46(5):1308-11.
  • Diduch M, Batongbakal L, Martin T, et al. Calcineurin inhibitor-induced psychosis. Current Psychiatry. 2021 November;20(11):43-45.
  • Smoke SM, Plotkin S, Patel N, Hilden P. Save the Quinolones! Impact of a Non-Restrictive Fluoroquinolone Reduction Initiative on Antibiotic Use and Resistance at an Urban Teaching Hospital. J Pharm Pract. 2021 Mar 24:8971900211003447. doi: 10.1177/08971900211003447. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 33759616.
  • Brust-Sisti LA, Armanious ME, Ohlinger K, Patel J, Lodhia T, Sturgill MG, Volino LR. New Jersey Pharmacists’ Perceptions on Performing COVID-19 Testing in Community Pharmacy Practice Sites. J Pharm Pract. 2022 Mar 31:8971900221081629. doi: 10.1177/08971900221081629. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 35357961; PMCID: PMC8971965.
  • Brust-Sisti L, Rudawsky N, Gonzalez J, Brunetti L. The Role of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibition in Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction. Pharmacy (Basel). 2022 Nov 30;10(6):166. doi: 10.3390/pharmacy10060166. PMID: 36548322; PMCID: PMC9788031.
  • Lam, V, Dimaculangan C. Impact of an interdisciplinary patient care model and routine screening on clinical outcomes in patients with hepatitis C. Innovations in Pharmacy. 2023 Jul 18: 14(2). Article 11.
  • Volino LR, Brust-Sisti LA, Patel S, Yeh D, Liu MT, Cogan-Drew T, Parrott JS. Evaluation of Interprofessional Education on Effective Communication Between Pharmacy and Physician Assistant Students. J Physician Assist Educ. 2022 Jun 1;33(2):114-118. doi: 10.1097/JPA.0000000000000432. Epub 2022 May 5. PMID: 35511459.
  • Davis EAK, Batongbakal LT. Probable Interaction Between Aripiprazole and Isoniazid. J Clin Psychopharmacol. 2022 Jul-Aug 01;42(4):420-421. doi: 10.1097/JCP.0000000000001565. Epub 2022 Jun 11. PMID: 35695690.

Professional Recognition and Appointments

  • Sandy Moreau, the RPD and Clinical Coordinator, received the Beverly Wilt Pharmacy Service Award at the 2022 New Jersey Society of Health-System Pharmacists Annual Meeting. Sandy currently serves on the NJSHP Educational Affairs Council.
  • Muhammad Shahid, the Oncology Infusion Center Supervisor and elective rotation preceptor, attained his BCOP in 2022.
  • Tiffany Cheng, the Sterile Products Pharmacy Supervisor, attained her BCSCP in 2022.
  • Nicole Leonida, the ID/Antimicrobial Stewardship Clinical Specialist and rotation preceptor, became double-certified in BCIDP and BCPS. Nicole became the Co-Chair of the RWJBH System-Wide Infectious Diseases Pharmacists Collaborative.
  • Michelle Mercadante, the Critical Care Clinical Specialist and rotation preceptor, became the Co-Chair of the RWJBH System-Wide Critical Care Pharmacists Collaborative.
  • Matthew Lamb, the Emergency Medicine Clinical Specialist became double-certified in BCCCP and BCEMP in 2023. Matt was also appointed as JCMC’s PGY-1 Residency Program Coordinator.
  • JCMC’s Antimicrobial Stewardship Program led by Nicole Leonida was awarded the Gold Award from the annual New Jersey DOH Antimicrobial Stewardship Recognition Program (ASRP) for 2022.

Technology

As part of RWJBH, Jersey City Medical Center has been on a multi-year journey to prepare for electronic medical record (EMR) transition to EPIC. As of April 2023, JCMC has successfully transitioned to EPIC and continuing our efforts to standardize formulary and policies along with the rest of the health system. Our clinical specialists have served as subject matter experts (SMEs) for multiple service lines, charged with reviewing clinical order sets and medication builds in EPIC. Our extensive drug distribution network within the acute care hospital, ambulatory care surgical center, satellite emergency department at Bayonne, outpatient infusion center, and numerous outpatient clinics is supported by Pyxis automated dispensing systems.

Pharmacy OneSource® suite supports pharmacist adverse drug event documentations, unit inspections, and documentation of sterile cleaning and temperature monitoring. Pharmacy staff use additive software to support clinical services such as DoseMeRx® for AUC-based vancomycin dosing and monitoring and Dr. First® for outpatient medication fill queries.

Overall, it is the goal of the department expose our PGY-1 residents to all of the Pharmacy Services provided at Jersey City Medical Center and provide the necessary opportunities to practice clinically, utilize new technologies, engage patients, conduct research, and collaborate with others.