Can pharmacist order lab tests?

[kwakster928]

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Before i start, i just want to make sure i am not trying to step on anyone's boundary here but i just want clarification on a rumor that i have heard before.

in word of my friend, one of the clinical pharmacy resident he knows seldom orders lab tests to make more clarification on what drugs or proper dosage to recommend to physicans and other healthcare professional. is this true in some states or is this person making this up?

 

[GravyRPH]

I'm not quite sure exactly what you are asking, but the answer to your subject question is yes, pharmacists can order lab tests. I order lab tests all the time, but they must be within the scope of our pharmacy protocols. For instance vancomycin, gentamicin levels, creatinine levels to monitor renal function, cbc with platelets for heparin induced thrombocytopenia monitoring, INR's, aPTT's for heparin, coumadin dosing.....etc. etc.

 

[kwakster928]

I'm not quite sure exactly what you are asking, but the answer to your subject question is yes, pharmacists can order lab tests. I order lab tests all the time, but they must be within the scope of our pharmacy protocols. For instance vancomycin, gentamicin levels, creatinine levels to monitor renal function, cbc with platelets for heparin induced thrombocytopenia monitoring, INR's, aPTT's for heparin, coumadin dosing.....etc. etc.

does this lab test orders neec a physician's authorization? I was just simply asking do we have an authority to order lab tests w/o physician's approval. sorry if i made it confusing.

 

[GravyRPH]

It does not require a physician authorization IF it fits within the realm of the protocol. E.g. You can't be ordering CBC's if you're only doing vancomycin dosing.

 

[Caverject]

Generally, you will see this in a "Coumadin Clinic" when it is so important that we know what the patients INR is

 

[Ivorymist]

I suppose it depends on the hospital. At the one I'm at the pharmacists can't order labs, but they can write all sorts of orders if they just run them by the MDs and the MDs agree and don't object.

 

[MNnaloxone]

Ditto on Gravy's comments. So far today I've ordered Vanco troughs, an Amakaicin level (yes, amakaicin...), Ptts, Inrs, and debating a phenytoin and a couple of dig levels. All my orders get flagged to the doctor so that they know I ordered them, but they don't have any kind of 'final' sign-off.

 

[SMW83]

I'm not quite sure exactly what you are asking, but the answer to your subject question is yes, pharmacists can order lab tests. I order lab tests all the time, but they must be within the scope of our pharmacy protocols. For instance vancomycin, gentamicin levels, creatinine levels to monitor renal function, cbc with platelets for heparin induced thrombocytopenia monitoring, INR's, aPTT's for heparin, coumadin dosing.....etc. etc.

Damn! I never knew Pharmacists had that much POWER!!! 😱


ROCK ON!!!!!!!!!!! 👍 😀