Best Practices for Sampling and Reading Media

February 28, 2025

Microbiology expert Abby Roth provides guidance to pharmacy for the processes of sampling and reading media. Topics include:

• Understanding USP <797> surface sampling requirements
• How to analyze viable air, surface, and gloved fingertip samples and media-fill tests
• Tips on taking, storing, and shipping samples

Improve Workflow and Compliance with Closed System Transfer Device Use

January 31, 2025

By being mindful of USP <800> standards for CSTD use, facilities can enjoy workflow and compliance improvements. Seth Eisenberg, RN, ASN, OCN, BMTCN, will share the benefits for both pharmacy and nursing when taking a coordinated approach to implementation, including:

• Workflow improvements offered by CSTD usage
• Compliance and collaboration strategies
• Safety efficiencies resulting from CSTD adoption

Automate Diversion Monitoring to Address Staffing and Resource Challenges

December 3, 2024

Drug diversion threatens patient safety, staff safety and performance, and carries both financial and legal risks. Post-pandemic staffing challenges, including high turnover and reliance on temporary staff, make monitoring medication more difficult. While most hospitals and health systems know diversion occurs, they often struggle to allocate the necessary resources, time, and technology to combat the issue.

Learn how an industry-leading facility implemented a highly effective, automated drug diversion monitoring system despite these challenges. In this webinar, Alex Rodriguez, MHIIM, CPhT, and William Mabry, PharmD, MBA, share their success strategies, including:

• How to achieve a 100% monitoring rate for all controlled substance transactions (even with annual transactions reaching nearly 15 million) to identify potential risks
• How leveraging insights from a single diversion management system eliminates the need to compile and analyze data from a variety of sources, ultimately streamlining investigations
• Unexpected bonuses resulting from effective diversion education programs for all hospital staff

State of Pharmacy Automation and Technology Update 2024

November 21, 2024

Presenting PP&P’s latest survey data, Fred Massoomi and David Aguero examine current automation budgeting trends, new directions in technology acquisition, and the value of adding such systems. Fred and David will explore emerging technologies most widely considered by hospital pharmacy, such as:

• AI systems
• RFID
• Medication tray management
• Drone delivery
• Unit dose packaging

Understanding Microbiology’s Role in Environmental Monitoring

November 8, 2024

Christine Hong, BS, will help connect the dots between microbiology and environmental monitoring for cleanroom compliance, safety, and efficiency. Topics include:

• The impact of microbiology on cleanroom design
• Understanding the science behind gloved fingertip sampling
• Best practices for sample collection and incubation processes
• Sampling in-house vs outsourcing

503B Partnership Update 2024

October 25, 2024

Lou Diorio, principal at LDT Health Solutions, reviews the latest trends in outsourced compounding, including:

• How to conduct virtual visits
• Regulatory trends observed in 2024
• Key components of successful partnerships
• Purchasing manufacturer vs 503B-produced RTU products

Selecting Cleanroom Equipment: Things You Never Learned in Pharmacy School

September 27, 2024

Allison Young, PharmD, MS, BSCSP, shares lessons learned from a recent, extensive cleanroom installation. Topics include:

• Aligning space considerations with functionality and staff comfort
• PEC placement for optimal workflow
• Communication tips for pharmacists collaborating with facilities experts

USP <800> Compliance Update 2024

July 18, 2024

In the continuing effort toward complete USP <800> compliance, Fred Massoomi and Kevin Hansen will explore PP&P’s most recent survey data with a focus on key issues, such as:

• Current areas of focus during state board and accreditation inspections
• Training competencies, cleaning requirements, and garbing for USP <800> compliance
• Trends in best practices for HD lists, labeling, and storage

Leverage RFID to Improve Pharmacy Efficiency

June 26, 2024

Radio frequency identification (RFID) is rapidly becoming an essential tool for medication management within the pharmacy. In this webinar, David Aguero, PharmD, MSTL, FAMIA, FASHP, will address:

• The growth of RFID in pharmacy
• RFID implementations beyond kit and tray management
• Opportunities to expand RFID for improved diversion prevention, anesthesia efficiency, charge capture, 340B billing, and more

Demystifying USP Cleanroom Compliance

June 25, 2024

Because many questions remain about cleanroom compliance, Patti Kienle will clarify common equipment myths in this webinar, including:

• Equipment compatibility and placement for maximum efficiency
• Addressing temperature excursions, airflow, and condensation issues
• Maintenance and cleaning SOPs for refrigerators and other cleanroom equipment

State of Pharmacy Compounding Update 2024

May 17, 2024

Now that USP <797> is official, how does your pharmacy stack up? Attend this webinar, based on PP&P’s State of Pharmacy Compounding survey data for 2024, as Fred Massoomi and Kevin Hansen examine the following trends:

• Compounding inspection areas of focus
• Regulatory requirements and compliance rates
• Automation adoption for the compounding

Automating the HD Cleanroom

April 24, 2024

Mount Sinai Health System onboarded sterile compounding automation to gain workflow efficiencies across multiple sites. This webinar will present an executive’s perspective from Susan Mashni, PharmD, BCPS, on best practices to:

• Leverage IV automation to address the effects of staffing, resource, and medication shortages
• Simplify USP compliance while simultaneously ensuring employee safety
• Avoid common onboarding challenges by preparing for the unexpected

Evaluate Diversion Software for System-Wide Adoption

April 17, 2024

Diversion occurs everywhere.

In this webinar, Brianna Graham, MSN, RN, NPD-BC, diversion prevention specialist at a multi-hospital health system in the midwest, will share expert guidance on adopting a diversion system, focusing on the following:

• Leveraging the full value from diversion management software
• Key steps to evaluate diversion software features
• Accruing significant time savings, risk reduction, and other benefits realized with an effective diversion management approach

Evolving Accreditation Inspections of the Cleanroom

April 12, 2024

The Joint Commission is now utilizing USP <797> guidelines as cited under CMS, regardless of how a given state board has implemented USP guidelines. Patti Kienle will address the following in this informative and timely webinar:

• Develop best practices to prepare for an accreditation inspection of compounding practices
• Identify issues that could be seen as red flags during an inspection
• Prepare for new areas of focus pharmacy will see during accreditation inspections

Effective Incubator Use for USP <797> Samples

February 9, 2024

Microbiology expert Abby Roth will guide pharmacies in incubator use for USP <797> environmental monitoring samples. Topics include:

• Best practices for cleaning and maintaining incubators
• Establishing timelines for sampling practices
• How to determine incubator size/capacity requirements

State of Pharmacy Automation and Technology Update 2023

November 29, 2023

Use of emerging technologies such as robotics, CSTDs, RFID, and artificial intelligence are on the rise, according to PP&P’s latest survey data. In this webinar, Fred Massoomi and Ghalib Abbasi will examine where automation and technology are headed as we move toward a new year. Learn how pharmacies across the country are adapting to new developments and innovations.

Creating a Regional Compounding Center

November 3, 2023

Indiana University Health established a regional compounding center to provide CSPs to their 18 hospitals, 300 doctor offices, outpatient pharmacies, clinics, and homecare services. Allison L. Young, PharmD, MS, BCSCP, will teach attendees how to move from goal setting to actualization, key elements to seek in a vendor partnership, and design aspects to consider.

USP <797> Quality Control Elements

October 27, 2023

In this webinar presented by Patti Kienle, attendees will learn how to ensure quality control in compliance with USP <797>. Patti will share her expert knowledge on the requirements for QA/QC, updates to release testing, and the documentation requirements for SOPs, master formulation records, and compounding records.

Attend this webinar on Friday, October 27, from 1:00-1:20PM ET.

Partnering with 503B Providers

October 13, 2023

Selecting an outsourced compounding partner requires due diligence in the complex regulatory landscape. In this webinar, Lou Diorio, principal at LDT Health Solutions, reviews the current trends in outsourced compounding and describes the steps to establish a vendor partnership, including:

• Essential elements of the contract
• What to look for in an onsite visit
• How to evaluate a potential partner if an on-site visit is not possible

Prepare for State Board Inspection of Your Cleanroom

September 15, 2023

Learn how to prepare for a state BOP inspection of your cleanroom in this webinar presented by Lindsey Amerine. Lindsey will review commonly overlooked items that can lead to inspection problems, discuss how to reconcile BOP requirements that differ from USP, and outline how to respond to recommendations and citations.

USP <800> Compliance Update 2023

August 23, 2023

Protecting health care personnel from HD exposure is an essential pharmacy responsibility, and USP <800> establishes guidelines to mitigate this risk. In this webinar, based on PP&P’s most recent survey data, Fred Massoomi and Deanne Halvorsen will review barriers to achieving compliance, recent inspection focal points, and the current state of compliance to USP <800> by hospitals nationwide.

The webinar will review:

• Key topics for state boards and accreditors during inspections
• Top compliance milestones to achieve under USP <800>
• Opportunities to leverage pharmacy technologies to mitigate risk to staff

ROI-Driven Compounding Robot Implementation

June 28, 2023

Learn how one facility has incorporated two IV compounding robots to bring outsourced production in-house to achieve a financial benefit and to ensure supply chain control. Thomas Moniz, Director of Business and Finance in the department of pharmacy at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, will review the technological advantages, batch compounding considerations, and workflow improvements associated with implementing this automation.

Leverage USP Training to Drive Technician Retention

May 12, 2023

Technician retention continues to be a challenge for pharmacy, and this pressure is exacerbated by the need to ensure USP compliance. Angela Cassano—an expert in sterile compounding, technician integration, and quality assurance—will present recognition strategies to improve technician retention, identify protocols to systemize and standardize training, and outline the connection between effective training and compliance success.

Case Study: Operationalizing RTU Vancomycin for Injection

May 5, 2023

Given drug shortages and staffing challenges, adopting ready-to-use products can reduce compounding risks and simplify distribution. VANCO READY® Vancomycin Injection, USP, is a premix, room temperature stable formulation. VANCO READY® has a boxed warning and is not for use during first and second trimester of pregnancy. Cody Parsons will discuss the operationalization of RTU vancomycin, outlining important patient considerations, storage requirements, EHR adaptation, and workflow simplifications. For full prescribing and safety information please visit www.vancoready.com.

State of Pharmacy Compounding Update 2023

April 28, 2023

Staying current with USP regulations is an essential pharmacy responsibility. In this webinar, based on PP&P’s State of Pharmacy Compounding survey data for 2023, Fred Massoomi and Deanne Halvorsen will discuss recent compounding inspection focal points, review the current state of compliance to USP <797> by hospitals nationwide, and summarize the changing regulatory requirements.

Build an Environmental Monitoring Sampling Program

February 16, 2023

The new USP <797> guidelines include an increased frequency for environmental monitoring sampling. Microbiology expert Abby Roth will help pharmacies build a sampling program now that facilities are taking a lead role in ensuring EM compliance, rather than relying on their certifiers to do so.

Standardize Oral Compounding with an IV Workflow Management System

December 1, 2022

Jason Koury and Andy Teel of University of New Mexico Hospitals will describe utilizing an IV workflow management system to standardize the preparation of hazardous and non-hazardous extemporaneous oral compounds. They will share their facility’s experience with establishing the system, including tips to help improve patient safety.

Technician Training for USP <797> Compliance

November 4, 2022

The 2021 proposed changes to USP <797> offer additional details about pharmacy technician training. A standardized training program can improve consistency and help achieve compliance. In this webinar, Angela Cassano will review the creation of SOPs, establishing training documentation, and the connection between effective training and technician retention.

Maximize a 503B Compounding Partnership

October 27, 2022

Given the complex regulatory landscape, selecting an outsourced compounding partner requires due diligence. In this webinar, Lou Diorio, principal at LDT Health Solutions, reviews the current regulatory landscape and outlines the steps necessary to select the right vendor, including:

• Evaluating the outsourcer’s offerings
• Asking key questions
• Tips for maximizing the vendor relationship

Optimize PN Production with IV Workflow Automation

September 30, 2022

With the adoption of an automated IV workflow management system in our cleanroom, we have realized significant safety improvements and optimized PN operations. Learn how this automation can be leveraged to avoid common roadblocks and deliver measurable improvements:

• Consolidate information from both EHR label and PN preparation label to a single bag label, reducing risk of labeling errors, a particular risk for patients with similar names
• Automate the preparation process for dilution stock syringes to simplify documentation, a laborious task that can result in late or missing documentation
• Leverage reporting features to provide more accurate charge transfer within the health system
• Take advantage of remote verification to remove pharmacists from the cleanroom and refocus their efforts on other operational tasks surrounding PN preparation and distribution

Insights into USP’s Environmental Monitoring Updates

September 16, 2022

With the 2021 proposed changes to USP <797>, the frequency of environmental monitoring will increase. Those facilities that have relied on their certifiers to conduct EM will now need to develop in-house expertise. In this webinar, microbiology expert Abby Roth will discuss how to approach this process, including establishing P&Ps, incubation needs, and other considerations.

Manage Drug Shortages with a Clinical Decision Support System

July 22, 2022

As drug and staffing shortages continue to affect hospital pharmacy, solutions can be realized in implementing a clinical decision support (CDS) system that provides reliable, easily accessible inventory data. In this webinar, David Aguero, director of medication systems and informatics at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, will illustrate the improved data management that can be achieved by working with a CDS system, thereby helping pharmacy to meet the challenge of shortages.

USP <800> Compliance Update: A Sneak Peek at PP&P’s Latest Data

July 14, 2022

Protecting health care personnel from HD exposure is an essential pharmacy responsibility, and USP <800> establishes guidelines to mitigate this risk. In this webinar, based on PP&P’s most recent survey data, Fred Massoomi and Deanne Halvorsen will review regulatory requirements, recent inspection focal points, and the current state of compliance to USP <800> by hospitals nationwide.

The webinar will review:

• Key topics for state boards and accreditors during inspections
• Top compliance milestones to achieve under USP <800>
• Opportunities to leverage pharmacy technologies to mitigate risk to staff

Maximizing IV Workflow for PN Compounding

June 24, 2022

Connecting the safety of PN ordering with an IV workflow management system delivers improvements in compounding safety by removing the human element from the process. Formulas are verified prior to compounding, orders are transmitted electronically, and pump results are recorded in the IVWM system.

In this webinar, Andy Teel, Pharmacy Systems Analyst at University of New Mexico Hospitals (UNMH) and Robert (RC) Hellinga, Pediatric Clinical Lead Pharmacist at UNMH, will discuss the advantages of building and implementing an IV workflow system to increase the safety of PN administration.

Establish SOPs to Ensure Safety and USP Compliance

May 25, 2022

The value of clearly established SOPs that are consistently reflected in the department’s actual practices cannot be overstated. In this webinar, Patti Kienle, director of accreditation and medication safety at Cardinal Health, will review strategies, resources, and steps to avoid common mistakes with SOPs, with an eye toward USP compliance.

State of Pharmacy Compounding Update 2022

April 29, 2022

Staying current with USP regulations is an essential pharmacy responsibility. In this webinar, based on PP&P’s State of Pharmacy Compounding survey data for 2022, Fred Massoomi and Deanne Halvorsen will review changing regulatory requirements, recent inspection focal points, and the current state of compliance to USP <797> by hospitals nationwide.

Best Practices for IV Workflow System Utilization

April 1, 2022

A successful IV workflow system implementation for parenteral compounding requires the incorporation of several key factors including:

• Ensuring safety under ISMP and USP guidelines
• Developing batching efficiency
• Preventing fraudulent JW modifier waste capture

Meet USP <800> Requirements for CSTD Utilization

February 25, 2022

USP <800> requires the use of CSTDs for drug administration and recommends the use of CSTDs where possible for drug preparation. While most pharmacies have implemented CSTDs in the pharmacy, usage on the units is not as consistent, leaving facilities at risk for regulatory actions. In this webinar, Fred Massoomi and Seth Eisenberg will review opportunities to ensure appropriate CSTD adoptions throughout the facility.

FDA Inspection Trends for 503B Compounders

January 28, 2022

Identifying and interpreting enforcement trends inside the regulatory actions for 503B outsourced compounders can assist health care facilities in choosing appropriate 503B partners. Furthermore, an understanding of the FDA’s current focus can help hospital and health system pharmacies monitor their outsourcing partners while improving their own compounding programs. Utilizing the largest independent database of FDA compounding activities and documents outside of the FDA itself, Lou Diorio, RPh, FAPhA, of LDT Health Solutions will analyze the long-term trends and current developments in FDA inspections of 503B compounders.