Integrating critical care pharmacists into intensive care unit teams - Ep 168

In this episode, Stuart Haines, JACCP Editor-in-Chief, interviews Dr. Andrea Sikora, Dr. Brian Murray, and Dr. Susan Smith about their recently published consensus recommendations for integrating critical care pharmacists into intensive care unit (ICU) teams which was endorsed by ACCP as well as the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses, American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, Institute of Safe Medication Practices, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.  The paper was published in the September 2025 issue of JACCP and is available open access. The document addresses the "unmet need" of operationalizing the pharmacist's role, as evidence suggests that many ICUs still lack a critical care pharmacist. The recommendations go beyond simply advocating for pharmacists; they provide a blueprint for hospitals to optimize pharmacist services, including direct and indirect patient care activities. The paper and its supplementary materials, which include an institutional assessment checklist, can be used to improve the quality of patient care.