Pharmacy service units: the evolution of a concept.

A decentralized pharmacy-team concept of delivering pharmaceutical services in a 719-bed hospital complex is described. The approach is called the Pharmacy Service Unit (PSU). Each PSU, which functions in the patient care areas, consists of a supervisor, two staff pharmacists, a technician specialist and a technician. Five PSUs provide daily 12-hour pharmaceutical services. Initial medication doses are provided from satellite stores maintained for each PSU; subsequent doses are dispensed from the central pharmacy in unit dose form. Other functions of the PSUs, including clinical and administrative responsibilities are described. The PSU concept has resolved previous logistical problems in the distribution of drugs at this hospital and has integrated the distributive, clinical and administrative roles of the pharmacists.