Jersey City Medical Center

Since 1882, Jersey City Medical Center (JCMC) has provided Hudson County with state of the art medical treatment across a broad range of disciplines and is the area’s only teaching hospital. The Medical Center operates based on the pillars of Patient Safety, Patient Satisfaction, Clinical Quality and Economic Health. The Pharmacy Department supports the mission of “Enhancing Life” to the people and communities we serve.

The Pharmacy Department uses a state of the art 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. Currently over 95% of the pharmacy technicians are certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) while ten pharmacists hold prestigious Board Certifications in a variety of specialty areas.

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 and Medical-Surgical units. 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.

Pharmacists at JCMC bring their expertise outside of the four walls by participating in a host of community outreach activities. In addition to serving the inpatient population, the pharmacy department services a number of outpatient clinics including HIV, oncology, behavioral health, women’s health, dental, vision, wound care, maternal fetal health and group homes. The pharmacy department also services a hospital licensed satellite emergency department located in Bayonne.

The pharmacy staff consistently strives for excellence. In 2021, the pharmacy department took sole responsibility for the opening and operation of the hospital’s COVID vaccine clinic. Twelve pharmacists and three pharmacy technicians obtained licenses to immunize in the State of New Jersey. Pharmacists continue to keep abreast of literature and rapidly changing guidelines pertaining to the use of vaccines and other medications to treat COVID to assure that all therapy is safe and appropriate. Through rigorous data collection, medication use evaluations are routinely performed. These evaluations are the foundation of future research projects and publications. The research and scholarly activities of the pharmacy team serve as a jumping off point for new initiatives at the hospital which have helped us to consistently provide positive outcomes for our patients and the community.

Jersey City Medical Center Pharmacy Leadership