The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) has announced that its Pharmacy Department has been honored with two prestigious Indian Health Service (IHS) Director’s Awards, recognizing the outstanding achievements of both the Inpatient and Outpatient Pharmacy Teams.
CIHA’s Acute Care Inpatient Pharmacy – Winner of Indian Health Service Director’s Award
“For commitment to advancing acute care pharmacy practice at Cherokee Indian Hospital.”
The Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority (CIHA) has announced that its Pharmacy Department has been honored with two prestigious Indian Health Service (IHS) Director’s Awards, recognizing the outstanding achievements of both the Inpatient and Outpatient Pharmacy Teams. (CIHA photos)
“CIHA’s Inpatient Pharmacy Team’s dedication to patient safety and quality of care has resulted in numerous process improvements and practice advancements, all in support of providing the highest quality healthcare to our community,” said Casey Cooper, CIHA chief executive officer.
The CIHA Inpatient Pharmacy Team has been recognized with the IHS Director’s Award for their commitment to advancing acute care pharmacy practice at Cherokee Indian Hospital. In 2023, the team successfully completed multiple projects designed to enhance the safety and quality of patient care within the hospital’s acute care settings, including the inpatient ward and emergency department.
One of the team’s most notable accomplishments was the relocation to a new workspace dedicated to acute care pharmacy services, a move that required meticulous coordination between internal departments and external vendors. This relocation ensured the highest standard of quality related to sterile compounding while maintaining uninterrupted services. The implementation of a new communication board further streamlined the shift transition process, improving the flow of information between day and night shift team members.
Additionally, the Inpatient Pharmacy Team prioritized the standardization of professional development and patient care best practices. They developed new policies and procedures related to sterile compounding standards, established a local sterile compounding certification, and coordinated updates to the hospital’s intravenous pump software and electronic medical record order sets. These efforts have significantly improved safety during the medication use process and advanced the role of pharmacists in acute care settings.
CIHA’s Outpatient Pharmacy Team – Winner of Indian Health Service Director’s Award for Customer Service
“For implementation of communication tools to support customer satisfaction.”
The CIHA Outpatient Pharmacy team is shown, left to right, including: Jaymian Lambert, Lindsey Seay, CAPT Jason White, Stephanie Ellis, Nik Hall, Abigail Thibodeaux, Daniel Hough, LT Madison Wright, Oyin Abu, Lynn Kirkpatrick, Rebecca Carlson, and Angela Carter.
“CIHA’s Outpatient Pharmacy Team’s commitment to continual performance improvement and customer satisfaction has set a new standard for pharmacy services, ensuring that patients receive the highest level of care and support,” said Cooper. “They prioritize suggestions and feedback from the community and work to integrate that feedback into the services we provide each day.”
The CIHA Outpatient Pharmacy Team has been awarded the IHS Director’s Award for Customer Satisfaction, recognizing their exceptional efforts to enhance communication and customer service. According to the 2023 Customer Satisfaction Survey, 85.8 percent of patient respondents rated outpatient pharmacy services as very good to excellent—a testament to the team’s dedication to improving the patient experience.
In 2023, the Outpatient Pharmacy Team implemented several innovative tools and processes to support communication between the pharmacy and its patients. These initiatives included a digital patient education program utilizing QR codes, text reminder software to alert patients about the status of their medications, and the establishment of a pharmacist to lead communications between the pharmacy department and two satellite clinics.
The team also developed patient education materials to address medication backorders, facilitated communication regarding brand and generic conversions, and implemented process improvements throughout the prescription filling process to ensure the continuity of essential information. The creation of a library of medication device handouts and dedicated telephone lines further supported correct medication administration and timely responses to inquiries.
- Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority release
