Inpatient Heme/Onc
Outpatient Heme/Onc
Inpatient BMT
Outpatient BMT
Intensive Care Unit
Inpatient Heme/Onc
Primary Preceptors
Thu Tran, PharmD, BCOP
Michael Filtz, PharmD
Makala Pace, PharmD, BCOP
Site Description
Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) has 100 inpatient beds which are covered by hematology, oncology, and various surgical services. Pharmacists on these services participate on hematology or oncology interdisciplinary medical rounds, ensure safety and appropriateness of chemotherapy regimens and educate residents and students. The clinical pharmacists working with either the hematology or oncology team are responsible for rounding every morning with their respectively assigned team. In addition, pharmacists perform chemotherapy order entry and participate in a double check system for each and every chemotherapeutic agent ordered.
Pharmacists work closely with pharmacy interns in ensuring that medication reconciliation is accurately completed for every patient admitted to the cancer hospital. The pharmacist works with oncology nurse practitioners, physician assistants, oncologists, and hematologists to optimize pharmaceutical care of hematology and oncology patients. A significant part of the pharmacist’s time is dedicated to teaching pharmacy students and pharmacy residents during the afternoon.
Rotation Description
Typical expectations of residents include the following:
- Working up hematology or oncology patients each day, interacting with the nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, and oncologists to resolve medication-related problems for these patients.
- Attending rounds every morning.
- Leading weekly discussions with the preceptor during oncology grand rounds on a variety of hematology/oncology topics.
- Giving formal patient presentations to the preceptor.
- Attending weekly oncology fellows conference.
- Attending pharmacy grand rounds when schedule permits.
- Responding to drug information requests from the providers.
- Precepting pharmacy students also on rotation with the hematology/oncology program.
- Giving one formal presentation on a hematology/oncology topic of choice to either the hematology or oncology team during the rotation. The presentation should be between 20 – 30 minutes in duration.
Outpatient Heme/Onc Clinic
Primary Preceptors
Deb Fletcher, RPh, BCOP
Steve Kirkegaard, PharmD
Christine Crossno, PharmD, BCOP
Site Description
HCI's infusion center operates with 55 infusion stations. Pharmacists on this service participate on hematology or oncology interdisciplinary tumor boards, ensure safety and appropriateness as well as admixture of chemotherapy regimens, provide patient education about the chemotherapy they receive and participate in the education of residents and students.
The clinical pharmacists working in the infusion center are responsible for inspecting each patient’s orders for accuracy, screening the patients for drug side effects and toxicity and ensuring that patients have adequate education regarding the medications that they are receiving in the infusion center as well as the medications they take home. In addition, pharmacists perform chemotherapy order entry and participate in a double check system for each and every chemotherapeutic agent ordered.
The pharmacist works with oncology nurses, physician assistants, oncologists, and hematologists to optimize pharmaceutical care of hematology and oncology patients. A significant part of the pharmacist’s time is dedicated to teaching pharmacy students and pharmacy residents during the afternoon.
Rotation Description
Typical expectations of residents include the following:
- Demonstrate the ability to evaluate patients using data from their electric chart including laboratory and radiology information, evaluate appropriateness of chemotherapy and supportive care.
- Be involved with counseling patients about chemotherapy and supportive care and redesigning monitoring plans as needed based upon patient response.
- Attend fellows conference, attend pharmacy grand rounds when schedule permits, respond to drug information requests from the providers, and precept pharmacy students also on rotation in the infusion center.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, adverse effects, spectrum of activity, and economic issues for each antineoplastic and supportive care drug dispensed to ambulatory oncology patients.
- Be familiar with proper handling procedures of chemotherapy agents.
- Gain knowledge in working with investigational protocols, including how to log out and inventory investigational drugs, and will be able to discuss ethical issues surrounding the placement of a patient on an investigational protocol.
Inpatient BMT
Primary Preceptors
Mary Lampas, PharmD, BCOP
Kristen Vinik, PharmD
Kali Williams, PharmD
The inpatient BMT unit has 12 beds serving patients receiving stem cell transplants and acutely ill stem cell transplant recipients. The clinical pharmacists are responsible for ensuring the clinical appropriateness and safety of all medications prescribed for admitted patients, verifying the accuracy and appropriate dispensing of chemotherapy orders, performing medication reconciliation at admission and discharge, and educating patients on their medications every time they are discharged. The pharmacists function in a decentralized capacity and work directly with BMT attending physicians, hospitalists, oncology fellows, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, as well as centralized pharmacists and pharmacy technicians to optimize pharmaceutical care of inpatient BMT patients
Rotation Description
Typical expectations of residents include the following:
- Attend and participate in daily inpatient rounds.
- Interact with physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, other pharmacy personnel, and patients to resolve medication-related problems.
- Lead two discussions on medication-related topics of the inpatient BMT team’s choosing.
- Respond to drug information requests from the providers.
- Complete a practice improvement project if a need is identified that can be resolved within the 4 weeks of this rotation.
- Precept pharmacy students also on rotation with the inpatient BMT service.
- Verify and enter orders for chemotherapy regimens, which will be double-checked by the pharmacist preceptor.
- Assist in medication reconciliation at admission and discharge, patient education at discharge, and maintaining accurate patient medication lists for the patients and BMT service providers.
Outpatient BMT
Primary Preceptors
Mary Lampas, PharmD, BCOP
Kristen Vinik, PharmD
Kali Williams, PharmD
Site Description
HCI's BMT clinic has 10 infusion room chairs, 4-bed infusion rooms, as well as numerous exam rooms. The clinic receives roughly 10,000 patient visits per year serving patients receiving both autologous and allogeneic stem cell transplants. The clinical pharmacists working within the BMT Clinic ensure the clinical appropriateness and safety of all medications, verify chemotherapy orders, perform medication reconciliation at clinic visits, and educate patients on their medications.
The pharmacists function in a decentralized capacity and work with the entire BMT program to continually update standards of practice, ensure that standing orders for chemotherapy regimens are appropriate, attend numerous multidisciplinary meetings including a weekly intake meeting where patients’ upcoming transplants are discussed and planned. The pharmacists also participate in pharmacy department educational activities and meetings.
Rotation Description
Typical expectations of residents include the following:
- Interact with physicians, nurse practitioners, nurses, medical assistants, other pharmacy personnel, and patients to resolve medication-related problems.
- Shadow providers during patient clinic visits and discuss patient treatment plans with physicians.
- Assist in the management of supportive care issues (nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, febrile neutropenia).
- Provide patient education prior to each new phase of treatment and as necessary.
- Maintain accurate patient medication lists for the patients and BMT service providers.
- Attend educational activities within the oncology pharmacy department or within the BMT program.
- Lead discussions with preceptors on a variety of BMT topics.
- Respond to drug information requests from the medical staff.
- Verify and enter orders for chemotherapy and mobilization regimens, which will be double-checked by the pharmacist preceptor.
Intensive Care Unit
Primary Preceptors
Stephanie Sanders, PharmD, BCOP
Sara Hiller, PharmD
David Stenehjem, PharmD
