State Sen. Jeff Stone Visits Cedars-Sinai

State Sen. Jeff Stone met with executive and clinical leaders at Cedars-Sinai  last week to explore ways to promote patient safety across the state.

Leadership also used the visit to thank the senator for sponsoring a medication safety bill—co-written by Cedars-Sinai Chief Pharmacy Officer Rita Shane, Pharm.D., FASHP, FCSHP—that will become law on Jan 1.

“We treat a substantial number of high-risk patients who arrive at the hospital already taking 10 or more medications,” Shane said. “This bill is important because it shines a spotlight on those patients and helps to ensure that they’re safe.”

During the senator’s visit, clinical leaders highlighted how pharmacy staff collaborate with physicians, nurses and other frontline staff to ensure safe medication use.

"Cedars-Sinai is one of America's leading medical facilities working to save lives on a daily basis,” said Sen. Stone, who is also a pharmacist. “The work done by these exceptional professionals has helped countless families, and I'm excited to have had an opportunity to learn first-hand about their cutting edge and innovative work."

The law that Shane and Stone crafted requires hospital pharmacy staff to obtain an accurate medication history for every high-risk patient upon admission.

The law was based on research led by Joshua Pevnick, MD, associate director in the Division of Informatics (BMS) and assistant professor in the Division of General Internal Medicine at Cedars-Sinai, in collaboration with the Pharmacy Department. The research demonstrated that medication errors could be reduced by 80 percent when pharmacists or trained technicians obtain medication lists for high-risk patients.

In addition to co-writing the law, Shane gained support from key stakeholders including physicians, patients, Cedars-Sinai leadership, the California Hospital Association and the California Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists.