Teaching vs non-teaching hospitals

[ACE Rx]

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Any differences in terms of pharmacy practice, culture, etc. between teaching vs non-teaching hospital? I have been working in a teaching hospital for the past few years where most of my interactions/interventions were with medical residents on teaching teams and attendings on non-teaching services. Pharmacists were well respected and a lot of authority given to adjust medications, order labs, formulary changes, etc. at will without contacting a physician - not sure if this is institution specific vs other hospitals as my experience is (n = 1). Thanks!

 

[lord999]

Most hospitals are a n=1 sort of experience. I know a non-teaching hospital in the area that is fairly progressive in practice, and I know the most famous teaching hospital in the area which has a very regressive attitude toward pharmacists (and nurses for that matter) while giving into physician egomania. (That's ok, because at the end of the day, that particular institution has to pay significantly above market rates to retain their pharmacist and nursing staff and pays their physicians lower than the market rate because of its reputation.) There's also differences between university AHCs and more general teaching hospitals that run the gamut as well for pharmacy.

Most of those outside affiliations basically change the institutional dynamics by making certain people report to more than one boss and loyalty divided between one or more institutions. Depending on how both managements deal with it, you can get more diversity of practice environments whereas non outside affiliated hospitals tend to be straightforward business concerns.

 

[BidingMyTime]

Yeah, hospital culture varies wildly. Generally speaking, non-teaching hospitals are smaller than teaching hospitals, and pharmacists are more likely to be stuck in the basement.....but they may be asked to field more clinical stuff, because it's not a teaching hospital so busy docs who don't want to deal with it refer it to the pharmacy.

Ultimately, pay close attention during the interview, ask LOTS of questions, and hopefully have an inside connection who can give you the scoop on the culture.