ABSTRACT
Traditionally, pharmacists and microbiologists have been allocated to the basement of most hospitals, having little or no contact with each other except when passing in the hallways. Today, managed care has forced these two departments to work together as part of a team. Many of the decisions concerning patient care including safety, efficacy, and cost containment are a cooperative effort among physicians, pharmacists, and microbiologists, especially in the field of infectious diseases. The work these individuals perform and their specialized view on matters make each member invaluable, and together, a winning team. This chapter discusses the pharmacy and therapeutics committee, the antimicrobial subcommittee, and the role pharmacists and microbiologists play on such committees. It emphasizes the cooperative and sometimes dependent relationship between the two departments. This chapter also discusses the tools used in managed care, such as the drug formulary, antimicrobial streamlining, medication usage evaluations, and critical pathways as they pertain to the interaction between pharmacists and microbiologists.
