Pharmacy Informatics
The Pharmacy Informaticist focuses on application of technology for pharmacists in supporting, streamlining, improving workflow, increasing patient safety with best practices and reliable systems. After recognizing the rapidly increasing role of the pharmacist in the use of healthcare information and management systems, HIMSS established the Pharmacy Informatics Community for HIMSS members with a role in pharmacy informatics in September 2006.
Goals of the Pharmacy Informatics Community include:
- defining pharmacy informatics as a specialty practice area and discipline
- improving the quality of pharmacy and medication-management systems
- serving as advocates for quality and efficiency improvements via pharmacy informatics
One of the first goals of the Community was to develop an official definition of pharmacy informatics for HIMSS. This definition will be published in the newly released HIMSS HIT Dictionary of Terms and Definitions
“Pharmacy informatics is the scientific field that focuses on medication-related data and knowledge within the continuum of healthcare systems - including its acquisition, storage, analysis, use, and dissemination - in the delivery of optimal medication-related patient care and health outcomes.” (October 2006)
The Task Force is open to all individuals in pharmacy informatics and pharmacy information systems design and implementation including, but not limited to, pharmacists, pharmacy system developers, pharmacy specialists, pharmacy informaticists, pharmacy management, educators and the broader community of those interested in pharmacy automation and applying technology to the medication-use cycle.
To be a part of this exciting new community at HIMSS, contact Christel Anderson today
Task Force
Purpose:
Recognizing the rapidly increasing role of the pharmacist in the use of healthcare information and management systems, HIMSS established the Pharmacy Informatics Task Force for HIMSS members with a role in pharmacy informatics. The purpose of this emerging community is to provide a professional forum related to the advancement and adoption of information systems to reduce medication errors, improve patient safety and bring measurable improvements to the medication-use cycle.
Chair:
Allen J. Flynn, PharmD, CPHIMS, CHS
St. Joseph Mercy Health System
Contact:
Christel Anderson
Phone: 312-915-9520
canderson@himss.org
Tools & Resources
Pharmacy Informatics Degree Programs Summary
HIMSS Bookstore for Clinical Informatics
2006 Annual Conference proceedings available in the Member center.
Pharmacy Informatics: How Connected Do You Want to Be? - Bill G. Felkey
The Washington Report – An Update on Federal Initiatives and Current Activities - Brent I. Fox, PharmD, PhD
The Pharmacist Perspective in ePrescribing: The Medication Process Management - Kevin C. Marvin, RPh
Pharmacy Informatics Developing an Identity - Scott R. McCreadie, Pharm.D., MBA
National IT Initiatives and the Impact on Pharmacy - John Poikonen, PharmD
Links
HIMSS Auto-ID and Bar Coding Task Force will consider Auto Identification or Auto-ID technologies activities that help machines identify objects, such as bar codes, smart cards, voice recognition, biometric technologies, radio frequency identification (RFID), and others.
HIMSS electronic prescribing topic area provides insight on electronic presecribing implementation challenges and solutions as well as the state of IT in electronic prescribing.
IHE Medication Management Pharmacy - White Paper (8/1/2003)
CPOE and Pharmacy - Proceeding (4/8/2003)
Enhancing Patient Safety: Clinician Order Entry with a Pharmacy Interface - Journal (12/1/2001)
HIMSS Response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Request for Comments on Unique Device Identification - Position Statement (11/14/2006)
Cover Letter: Comment on the FDA Unique Device Identification (UDI) [FDA Docket Number 2006N-292] - Position Statement (11/14/2006)
Latest News:
Pharmacy IT Symposium 2008 Reflections
The Pharmacy IT Symposium 2008 at HIMSS Annual Conference & Exhibition was a tremendous success with well over 100 attendees! Allen Flynn, PharmD, CPHIMS, CHS, Symposium Planning Committee Chair provides insight on this year’s theme “Driving Change and Enhanced Quality, One Prescription at a Time” an overview of the educational lineup, and takeaways from the symposium that will impact your daily practice.