Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: Managing Inpatient Pharmacy Services at King Abdulaziz Medical City – Jeddah

Abstract

Since early December 2019, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been relentlessly spread worldwide and has hit the healthcare systems with terrible force. Pharmacists play a vital role in the healthcare system in providing medicines, therapeutics, vaccines, clinical services, and other pharmaceutical care services to patients. Therefore, to ensure all these services continued at King Abdulaziz Medical City – Jeddah during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Department of Pharmaceutical Care initiated a departmental crisis preparedness plan, as a part of general hospital preparedness plan. It started with adjusting medication dosing time, instituting a daily medication refill process, working remotely, expanding the use of automation, and modifying employee schedules. Other actions included the following: handling drug shortages, placing restrictions on some medications, using personal protective equipment, changing routine practices of pharmacy aides, revising the medication delivery process, starting a contingency training program, and restricting pneumatic tube operation. We took guidance from the Ministry of Health, our own institute's experience, World Health Organization recommendations, updated scientific research, and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists regulatory updates. This article aims to describe how health services, policies, and systems were applied and adapted to address a specific problem while maintaining all pharmacy employees' safety. This article reviews the inpatient pharmacy's particular needs and responses to these needs to meet the COVID-19 pandemic challenges.