Pharmacists,

In response to an increase in errors involving nurses splitting HazMeds, PharmIT has implemented a change within Cerner product selection. With the changes set forth in USP 800, HazMeds may not be split by nurses and must be split within the pharmacy. To prevent nurses from being able to pull medications from pyxis and split them on their own, we needed to make an adjustment to those formulary products. Table 1 HazMeds products have been identified and made to be "indivisible" in Cerner. This means that doses that can't be fulfilled with whole tablets or a combination of whole tablets will not be able to be product assigned. This means that if a physician orders a half tablet of a Table 1 HazMed, the order will either have to be changed (different dose or liquid product as available) or the order will have to be entered as a TNF and the doses will have to be split in Central Pharmacy. Main Central Pharmacy, W&C, and Madison are still working on a process to provide these doses to patients in an efficient manner as there is no existing report to capture these TNFs. More information will be provided soon. For now, please be aware of this logistical change and communicate with your dispensing pharmacy location to coordinate dispensing of the medication. 

We are currently evaluating Table 2 HazMeds and trying to identify if there are common doses that need to have 1/2 tablet products built in the Cerner formulary. We will provide information to you as other changes are implemented. Let your supervisor know if you have an questions about this change. 

Thanks,