Securing Patient Trust: Advancing Cybersecurity and Training in Health-System Pharmacies

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Rapid advancements in technology over the past several decades have brought significant benefits to health care systems, streamlining operations and improving patient care. However, these innovations have also brought new vulnerabilities to health care organizations in the form of cybersecurity threats. With patient data on the line, it remains crucial for health care professionals to prioritize robust cybersecurity measures to protect patient data and patient trust.

In the cover feature on page 11, Shawn Bookwalter, PharmD, MSHI, MS, BCPS, outlines the pillars of information security—confidentiality, integrity, and availability—that health care practitioners should uphold to protect sensitive patient data. The article also provides recommendations for practitioners to enhance cybersecurity, including encryption, access controls, and regular training, to ensure the delivery of quality care.

In the peer-reviewed original research paper on page 14, authors Aidan Walser, PharmD candidate; Jessi Dennis, PharmD candidate; Laurie Pennell, PharmD; Antoine Al-Achi, PhD, MPharm, MS, BS, CT (ASCP); and Shawn Riser Taylor, PharmD, CPP, CDCES, evaluate the impact of pharmacist-led education on the accuracy of medication reconciliations at a federally qualified health center, finding significant improvements post intervention. The mean number of medication discrepancies per patient decreased from 4.61 to 2.4, demonstrating the effectiveness of the intervention. Despite these improvements, the study findings highlight the need for ongoing educational efforts and standardized procedures to further reduce errors, particularly in the context of polypharmacy and an aging population.

In the peer-reviewed case description on page 18, author Jaclyn M. Jaskowiak, PharmD, BCPS, BCSCP, discusses the limited nature of sterile compounding training and education following United States Pharmacopoeia <797> standards. To address this, Jaskowiak discusses a longitudinal sterile compounding rotation developed and implemented for PGY-1 acute care pharmacy residents, which provides structured, hands-on experience and oversight in an academic medical center. The rotation aims to ensure residents gain foundational knowledge, improve competence, and build rapport with technicians, ultimately enhancing their ability to manage sterile compounding operations and comply with regulatory standards.

In this issue of Pharmacy Practice in Focus: Health Systems, we underscore the critical importance of cybersecurity and effective training and education in health system pharmacies. By implementing robust cybersecurity measures and providing structured educational programs, health care organizations can protect patient data and improve the quality of care at the pharmacy.