ASHP–PPAG Guidelines for Providing Pediatric Pharmacy Services in Hospitals and Health Systems

Abstract

The purpose of these guidelines is to assist pharmacists and pharmacy departments in meeting the special needs of pediatric patients in hospitals and health systems. Pharmacists encounter numerous challenges when providing care to pediatric patients, including the limited data available on the safety and efficacy of medications; the lack of appropriate commercially available medication dosage forms and concentrations; weight-based dosing; complex calculations, especially when dilutions are required; and patients’ limited capacity to communicate regarding symptoms, responses to therapy, and possible adverse drug events (ADEs).1 In addition, pediatric pharmacy practice is associated with different operational demands and requirements than a practice focused exclusively on adults. Pediatric patients are defined as all children from neonate until adulthood. These guidelines supplement the ASHP Minimum Standard for Pharmacies in Hospitals and provide additional recommendations specific to providing pediatric pharmacy services.2 There are various models under which hospital or health-system pharmacy departments typically provide care to pediatric patients, ranging from children’s hospitals to general hospitals or health systems providing services to pediatric patients. Depending on which model is adopted, pharmacy departments will provide a different scope of services for pediatric patients. Some institutions provide acute care for pediatric patients with general needs, while others will treat critically ill or specialty patients, such as oncology or transplant patients, in addition to general pediatric patients. Although the pharmacy services provided may be distinctly different based on the type of institution and other factors, there are best practices listed within these guidelines to which all hospitals and health systems should aspire when caring for pediatric patients.