Pharmacy Informatics?

[wellwell]

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I know there have been a few threads in the past on this specialty, but none of them seemed to have a lot of details. For those of you who work/have been to hospitals with these specialists, what do they do? From what I have read, it seems like they mostly update and maintain pharmacy systems, CPOE, Pyxis, robots, etc. Is this true? Am I missing something else?

Also, what's the work schedule/style like? Is a lunch break standard? Is the pay above or below the average retail/hospital range?

I'm hoping all the hospital folks will answer... Z, WVU, know anything?

 

[nnguyenc]

look on the ASHP website

 

[wellwell]

I'm not a member of ASHP; their website is useless for me.

 

[wellwell]

Also, does anyone know anything about the informatics residency at Vanderbilt?

 

[bigpharmD]

i suggest getting your PharmD and doing this ...forget bout the residency


http://www.regenstrief.org/medinformatics/fellowship

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

Most of the IT pharmacist I know are M-F 8-4:30 types...they're involved with daily updates of CDM - drug data and charge code master, and take care of everything there's to do with automation, pharmacy operating system etc. Most of these pharmacists became IT pharmacist by default... they just kinda end up with it by taking on the project..it usually happens when hospital decides to automate or upgrade systems.. The DOP kinda askes around or appoints a tech and a pharmacist in charge of the project. I have yet to hire a "Informatics Pharmacist" rather people grew into these positions..in my experience.

I've actually done all these stuff as a pharmacist and a DOP because I really couldn't afford to allocate a FT pharmacist to do it.. Then again, this aint my thing.. No way I'd want to be doint this every hour of the day.

Oh... and when something goes wrong...you'll get called.

 

[wellwell]

i suggest getting your PharmD and doing this ...forget bout the residency


http://www.regenstrief.org/medinformatics/fellowship

Most of the IT pharmacist I know are M-F 8-4:30 types...they're involved with daily updates of CDM - drug data and charge code master, and take care of everything there's to do with automation, pharmacy operating system etc. Most of these pharmacists became IT pharmacist by default... they just kinda end up with it by taking on the project..it usually happens when hospital decides to automate or upgrade systems.. The DOP kinda askes around or appoints a tech and a pharmacist in charge of the project. I have yet to hire a "Informatics Pharmacist" rather people grew into these positions..in my experience.

I've actually done all these stuff as a pharmacist and a DOP because I really couldn't afford to allocate a FT pharmacist to do it.. Then again, this aint my thing.. No way I'd want to be doint this every hour of the day.

Oh... and when something goes wrong...you'll get called.

Thanks guys. This is the type of information I was looking for. 🙂

 

[DrugRX]

I am the informatics pharmacist. I work 4 days a week and 10 hours a day. I do 10~20 hours staffing as well. I don't have to do staffing, but I do to make other pharmacist's job easier.

I am in charge of any rx system related projects/issues.

I think I do a lot more than other informatics pharmacist because our hospital is in the middle of implementing CPOE. Everything is crazy and we are about to hire another informatics guy to help me.

In my opinion, rx system is the center of all hospital system in that it deals with drugs and its prices. If rx system is not updated, hospital is losing money.

It is a very unique position, and I do enjoy what I do.

 

[solzont]

The situation at my hospital is much different and I wouldn't recommend anyone pigeon-hole themselves into an information services niche. The Informatics Pharmacist just got let go; his job position was eliminated. The hospitals are increasingly moving to centralize IT and IS services in order to reduce costs. Since he hasn't practiced true clinical pharmacy for a number of years, he's finding it tough to compete against other applicants for local and not-so-local clinical openings.

 

[DrugRX]

The situation at my hospital is much different and I wouldn't recommend anyone pigeon-hole themselves into an information services niche. The Informatics Pharmacist just got let go; his job position was eliminated. The hospitals are increasingly moving to centralize IT and IS services in order to reduce costs. Since he hasn't practiced true clinical pharmacy for a number of years, he's finding it tough to compete against other applicants for local and not-so-local clinical openings.

Wow... how can an informatics pharmacist postion be eliminated? It is a very unique position and requires the understanding of hospital pharmacy as well as IT skills. None of IS/IT people can do what I do, so I can't believe the informatics pharmacist got actually let go. The guy must be pretty bad or his role in your pharmacy was very limited and replaceable.

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

Wow... how can a informatics pharmacist postion be eliminated? It is a very unique position and requires the understanding of hospital pharmacy as well as IT skills. None of IS/IT people can do what I do, so I can't believe the informatics pharmacist got actually let go. The guy must be pretty bad and his role in your pharmacy was very limited and replaceable.

mmmm...Many techs are capable of doing Pharmacy IT work....

 

[DrugRX]

mmmm...Many techs are capable of doing Pharmacy IT work....

True and I do have one tech that helps me a lot. But his capability is very limited, and my DOP won't allow techs to have any admin access in Rx systems. Plus, I do a lot of Rx system optimization and testing, and in order to do that, you have to know what pharmacist do and how they approach to process the order. I also write policy and procedure for Rx systems or programs (downtime, 340B, smart pump and so on), and I doubt any DOP would let techs write them. In my opinion, many techs are capable of helping Rx IT work, but they can't do what informatics pharmacist do.

 

[WhiteSnows]

Most of the IT pharmacist I know are M-F 8-4:30 types...they're involved with daily updates of CDM - drug data and charge code master, and take care of everything there's to do with automation, pharmacy operating system etc. Most of these pharmacists became IT pharmacist by default... they just kinda end up with it by taking on the project..it usually happens when hospital decides to automate or upgrade systems.. The DOP kinda askes around or appoints a tech and a pharmacist in charge of the project. I have yet to hire a "Informatics Pharmacist" rather people grew into these positions..in my experience.

I've actually done all these stuff as a pharmacist and a DOP because I really couldn't afford to allocate a FT pharmacist to do it.. Then again, this aint my thing.. No way I'd want to be doint this every hour of the day.

Oh... and when something goes wrong...you'll get called.

I'll go with nuclear pharmacy.

 

[starsweet]

Is salary same as what clinical pharmacists earn?

 

[MountainPharmD]

mmmm...Many techs are capable of doing Pharmacy IT work....

They are. I have a friend that is the manager of Pharmacy Infomatics for a group purchasing organization. He is a certified technician.

 

[riskhk]

We may need more IT pharmacists in the future assuming if the health care reform does go into effect.

I'm considering getting each a certificate or master's program in medical informatics.

Just my 2 cents

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

im involved with a brand new state of the art hospital build. starting a pharmacy ground up with all the latest technology...cpoe, carousel, automation, scan system and the whole bang. and the only pharmacist I've worked with so far has been the consultant for iv pump. everyone else has been IT person or pharm tech turned automation-IT specialist. im sure there are pharmacists at corporate level....I guess?

 

[iphetamine]

does it require PharmD to be an informatics pharmacist or BPharm is enough?
or maybe BPharm + MSc in Medical Informatics?

 

[Fatpharm]

I'm not a member of ASHP; their website is useless for me.

If you want to get involved in informatics, the ASHP website would be a great start. You don't have to be a member to browse the website. Some profiles of Informatics Pharmacists are available for your viewing. You can get an idea what informatics pharmacists do.
http://www.ashp.org/Import/MEMBERCE...armacyInformaticsandTechnology/Spotlight.aspx

Here is the main site for the ASHP informatics section.
http://www.ashp.org/informatics

If you are considering informatics I would look at all the names on the section advisory group (SAG) committees to see if there is anyone in your area that could give you advice on whether informatics is for you. Having a mentor would be beneficial to your development. If you are interested, you can submit to join one of these SAG committees.
http://www.ashp.org/Import/MEMBERCE...nformaticsandTechnology/AboutThisSection.aspx

Here is a list of residencies that is put out by ASHP, you contact the program directors if you would like to get more information.
http://www.ashp.org/DocLibrary/MemberCenter/SOPIT/InformaticsSpecialtyProgramMatrix.aspx