Publication Date: December 14th, 2005
Publication Type(s): Working Paper
Topic(s): Hospitals and Clinics, Pharmacy and Prescription Drugs, Quality
Author(s): Casey, M., Moscovice, I., Davidson, G.
This report assesses the capacity of rural hospitals to implement medication safety practices. The study found that many small rural hospitals have limited hours of on site pharmacist coverage. About three-quarters of the hospitals are using pharmacy computers, but a significant proportion either do not have a pharmacy computer or are not using it for clinical purposes. Hospital financial status is significantly related to pharmacist staffing, the use of technology, and implementation of medication safety practices, supporting a continuation of Medicare policies to help ensure financial stability for small rural hospitals.
The policy brief for this report can be found here.