SCCM Resource Library-Importance of Effectively Communicating Drug Shortages

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The critical issue of drug shortages, particularly in intensive care units (ICUs), is becoming increasingly pervasive, further stressed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Between 2001 and 2016, over half of almost 2000 reported drug shortages involved drugs used in critical care, highlighting the severe impact on vulnerable patients. Effective communication of these shortages is crucial yet challenging due to the complex line of communication from manufacturers to frontline clinicians.<br /><br />Hospitals face difficulties as drug shortages are often reported only once fully evolved, with little advance warning to prepare alternative plans. The 2012 FDA Safety and Innovation Act mandates manufacturers of critical drugs to report potential discontinuances to the FDA at least six months prior, though this relies on timely communication by the manufacturers. Both the FDA and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) maintain online resources to report these shortages.<br /><br />Hospital pharmacies typically manage shortages through dedicated committees that monitor drug inventories and developments regularly. These committees must decide which shortages warrant communication to clinicians to avoid overwhelming them with unnecessary information, as illustrated by Northwestern Memorial Hospital, which handles a shortage list exceeding 100 drugs routinely. Shortages are communicated through team meetings, emails, or intranet systems, and the electronic medical record (EMR) system is sometimes used despite its cumbersome nature for short-lived shortages.<br /><br />Ultimately, managing drug shortages demands synchronized efforts from hospitals and effective communication to ensure the best possible patient care. Critical, targeted, and timely information must reach the relevant clinicians, as irrelevant data may be disregarded, diminishing the impact of future updates.

Asset Subtitle

Pharmacology, Crisis Management, 2021, 00:03:46

Asset Caption

This article was first published in the Winter 2021 issue of Critical Connections.

Drug shortages have become pervasive. The ways in which hospitals and hospital systems manage ongoing shortages vary widely across the United States and the world. Unfortunately, these shortages have affected the most vulnerable patients in the intensive care unit, an effect that is exacerbated by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. A study found that, from 2001 to 2016, of almost 2000 reported drug shortages, 51% were drugs used in critical care.¹ As critical care professionals, we are forced to pivot frequently to adapt to available medications while minimizing the impact to patient care.

Critical Connections, the critical care industry's only newsmagazine, provides information on cutting-edge topics in critical care useful to the entire multiprofessional team.Alok Gupta, MD
Bartholomew J. Tortella, MTS, MD, MBA, FACS, FCCM
Ravi S. Tripathi, MD, MBA

Meta Tag

Content Type Article

Knowledge Area Pharmacology

Knowledge Area Crisis Management

Knowledge Level Foundational

Knowledge Level Intermediate

Knowledge Level Advanced

Membership Level Select

Membership Level Professional

Membership Level Associate

Tag Resource Allocation

Tag Communication

Year 2021

Keywords

drug shortages

intensive care units

COVID-19 pandemic

critical care

FDA Safety and Innovation Act

communication challenges

hospital pharmacies

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists

electronic medical record

patient care

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