Good or Bad Luck with Hospice Pharmacia?

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Specializes in BNAT instructor, ICU, Hospice,triage.

When you call to get advise with meds, do you have good luck with Hospice Pharmacia?

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Specializes in Pediatric, adult medical, lt.

We use HPS and the pharmacists are great with advice. We also make sure all of the staff has copies of the formulary.

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Specializes in Hospice, HIV/STD, Neuro ICU, ER.

I have the worst luck with HP! The other nurses on our staff get through to great people, but I always managed to get someone who either a) requires me to repeat the same information at least three times, b) talks to me like I'm 5, or c) interrupts me constantly to ask questions completely irrelevant to the issue at hand. I'm cursed!!!

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Specializes in BNAT instructor, ICU, Hospice,triage.

I had one, when I asked for advise for a cream to rub on aching joints ( I was thinking along the lines of ketoprofen or something Voltaren) and he insisted on ibuprofen or naproxen when the terminal diagnosis for my patient is renal failure, even after I argued that my protocol says no NSAIDs for renal failure patients.

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Specializes in LTC, Sub-Acute, Hopsice.

I usually have great success with HP. Every once in a while I will have someone who just doesn't get what I am asking, and will be talking about oranges while I am talking about apples (or even cherries!) but that has been rare. When I think I am getting no where, I will (opps!) disconnect the call. Then I call back in a minute or 2 and start over.

The HP pharmacists have been god sends when I am stumped with symptom control questions. The last time a few weeks ago was a man with awful terminal agitation (or as I have seen it called here, agitated terminal agitation) who every time I thought we were giving him enough Morphine and Haldo and Ativan to get him under control he would burn it all off and ramp up again. The pharmacist upped the dose of Haldol much more than I felt comfortable asking a doc for, but once she said that 4mg q hour until he was sedated then 4 mg q4 hours...I had the confidence to say that to the doc and he was all for it. I do find that if I say to a reluctant doc that I spoke to the Hospice Pharmacia pharmacist, they are usually very willing to order drugs and amounts that they otherwise might not even consider.

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Specializes in Hospice, HIV/STD, Neuro ICU, ER.

The last time I asked an HP pharmacist for a dose recommendation, she told me the doctor needs to decide what is most appropriate for the pt, not her. See? I'm cursed! :rolleyes:

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I loved hp when we used them! We switched to one point and they just stink. I know hp was more expensive but honestly!

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When you call to get advise with meds, do you have good luck with Hospice Pharmacia?

Call back if you need to. They have some amazing pharmacists picking up the phone. Call back until you get one of those.

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Your thoughts were right on with treatment choice. I would ignore the NSAID suggestion.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Hospice, Palliative Care, HH.

Has anyone used Procare pharmacy and what did you think? I have had times where I'll wait close to an hour for someone to call back; always get a machine and have to leave my number. If I'm at a patients house, that's a long wait. Also, not that impressed with their recommendations. Anyone have feedback?

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Has anyone tried nate's Pharmacy? what's your experience with them? I heard they are great

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

I have used HP, they are more connected via the internet than Hospiscripts. Each system has drawbacks and benefits.

I always go to the doc with med recommendations, even after the HP consult.

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