The Department of Pharmacy and Clinical Services supports the mission and goals of Hackensack University Medical Center through its commitment to the delivery of quality patient care. The vision of the department is to promote optimal pharmaceutical care as an integral part of the interdisciplinary health care team. The delivery of comprehensive pharmaceutical care is accomplished through implementation of practices designed to foster safe and effective use of medications supported by drug expertise, innovative technology, education, research, and community outreach.

The Pharmacy team provides both Inpatient and Outpatient services to a wide array of patient populations from newborns to geriatrics, focusing in areas of medicine including but not limited to:

• Heart Disease
• Cancer
• Bone & Joint Disease
• Women’s Health
• Pediatric Care
• Emergency Medicine and Trauma
• Intensive Care
• Infectious Disease
• Internal Medicine

Medication Services

As vital members of the healthcare team, hospital pharmacists directly impact patient care and clinical outcomes. They collaborate with physicians and nurses to assess medications, develop treatment plans, dispense drugs appropriately, monitor their effectiveness, and provide education whenever needed. Pharmacists are also skilled in advanced automated technology systems that are used for institutional dispensing and distribution. They also maintain optimal medication safety standards and practices.

The pharmacists of Hackensack University Medical Center are highly skilled professionals, and many have become well-respected educators in their field.

Pharmacists with advanced training are called clinician pharmacists, and they provide direct patient care as part of a fully integrated healthcare team. They collaborate with physicians and other healthcare providers to:

• Review and assess a patient’s prescribed medication regimen to assure an optimal outcome to the drug therapy
• Confer with the physician to modify prescription orders, when necessary, so that the most appropriate medication for the situation is selected
• Monitor the effectiveness and/or toxicity of prescribed medications and screen for medication-related problems, such as inappropriate dosing, drug allergies, and adverse drug events and interactions. Physicians are informed of potential problems
• Monitor antibiotic therapy to consistently check the blood level for toxicity and provide pharmacokinetic dosing for selected antibiotics
• Educate other members of the healthcare team to be certain that those who administer medication to the patient know how to do so safely
• Educate the patient about their medications during the hospital stay and/or upon discharge

Clinician pharmacists at Hackensack University Medical Center specialize in the following areas of care:

• Antibiotic Monitoring
• Internal Medicine / Pharmacokinetic Dosing
• Nutrition Support
• Critical Care Monitoring
• Emergency Medicine
• Transplant Medicine
• Pediatric Monitoring / Neonatal
• Medication Reconciliation
• Anticoagulation Service