A new study by Chicago-based Loyola Medicine found that when a pharmacist is present in the emergency department, patients received a life-saving coagulation drug much more quickly, which can significantly improve outcomes, according to News Medical.
The researchers found that when a pharmacist was stationed in the ED, the coagulation drug was delivered faster, which reduced the time the patient was in the intensive care unit and resulted in shorter hospital stays.
In fact, when a pharmacist was present in the ED, patients received the coagulation drug in a median time of 66.5 minutes, while those without a pharmacist received the coagulation drug in a median time of 206.5 minutes, according to News Medical. The authors said that the time reduction was a result of the pharmacist being able to communicate with the central pharmacy in a more timely manner.
Patients with a pharmacist spent an average of two days in the ICU and 5.5 days in the hospital. Patients without a pharmacist spent an average of five days in intensive care and eight days in the hospital, the study found.
Read the full report here.