Hospital pharmacies struggled in the first half of 2023 with the highest number of ongoing drug shortages in 10 years, and other hospital departments faced similar headwinds.
The Institute for Safe Medication Practices and the ECRI Institute conducted a July survey of nearly 200 hospital workers involved in supply, including pharmacy leaders, supply chain administration, pharmacists, nurses and clinical engineers.
Sixty percent of respondents said more than 20 products were in shortages for the first half of 2023. Here are the 12 most impacted departments and the percentage of workers who reported shortages, according to the survey:
Surgery/anesthesia — 74 percent
Emergency care — 64 percent
Pain management — 52 percent
Cardiology — 45 percent
Hematology/oncology — 44 percent
Infectious disease — 39 percent
Obstetrics/gynecology — 37 percent
Gastrointestinal/nutrition — 32 percent
Allergy/asthma — 26 percent
Neurology — 24 percent
Endocrinology — 22 percent
Psychiatry — 15 percent