Does Your Practice Have a Culture of Safety? – 3 Questions to Ask
Chuck DiTrapano, RPh and Bailey Klingaman explore the meaning of a culture of safety in clinical organizations. By understanding the motivation of clinicians and application of technology to the practice, organizations can assess the value of safety to its company culture. Having been a healthcare professional for a very long time, I often think about what […]
RxToolKit: A Journey of Many
6 Key Characteristics of a Successful Infusion Center
Chuck DiTrapano, RPh discusses how competence, confidence, consistency, culture, creativity, and communication work together to make an infusion center successful. There have been many improvements in the outpatient infusion market in recent years. The good news is that patients can now achieve a higher quality of life even when they are afflicted with a lifetime […]
Minimize Distractions in the Clinical Setting
Chuck DiTrapano, RPh and Bailey Klingaman discuss the dangers of distractions and interruptions in the clinical setting, and provide numerous solutions to help reduce the risk of harmful medication errors and improve patient safety. Anyone who has worked in any healthcare setting can attest to what the Institute for Safe Medication Practices (ISMP) and others […]
Pharmacy Technicians Are Important
Chuck DiTrapano, RPh, recognizes the integral role pharmacy technicians have, and their contributions toward managing a successful practice. Joanne Adam, CPhT, offers insight about the potential advancements pharmacy technicians can make in the field. There is a common misconception that the pharmacy industry is purely product-driven. As a practicing pharmacist, I can attest that this […]
Pharmacy Technicians: The Invisible Asset
If you have ever had a prescription filled in a pharmacy, received an IV infusion in a hospital, or received a medication in a nursing home, you have received services from a pharmacy technician. Who are these people? How are they trained? The answer to these questions is both complex and inconsistent but can be […]
Why Tech Training Matters and What’s the Real ROI?
Chuck DiTrapano, RPh takes a deep dive into pharmacy technician training, lack of education, and return on investment for certification. My essential core motivation for technician training comes from both an intense passion to improve the pharmacy profession and a deliberate intention to make the patients it serves safer. I believe strongly that true patient […]
Safety and Standardization in Labeling and Repackaging
Packaging and labeling are believed to be the cause of 33% of medication errors and poor label design is cited as a potential cause. In 2016, the FDA released guidelines for safe labeling and repackaging acknowledging that improper repackaging of drug products can cause serious adverse events stating, “Because labeling, packaging, and nomenclature have been […]
The Evolution of Technology & Human Interaction
RxToolKit Founder and VP of Pharmacy Education Chuck DiTrapano shares his thoughts and responses to issues raised in The Overdose: Harm in a Wired Hospital. This article, written by Robert Wachter, MD, introduces the progression of technology in healthcare, and the potential dangers of overutilization. As technology evolves, the role of the healthcare professional is […]
Technology, Technicians, Action!
RxToolKit Founder Chuck DiTrapano explores the current challenges and potential successes that technology and pharmacy technicians can have in the healthcare industry. The profession of pharmacy has certainly evolved in the years since my graduation and licensure. Significant improvements to patient care and an increase in quality outcomes are evident to any long-term observer of […]