FOR THE FIRST 25 OF THE 27 YEARS THAT I HAVE BEEN EMPLOYED BY St. Joseph’s Hospital in Eureka, California, we did not have a 24-hour hospital pharmacy. Like most of the 4,000 U.S. hospitals that do not offer 24/7 pharmacy services, we had neither the need nor the budget for it. However, in 2003, we began to seriously consider around-the-clock pharmacy service – not because of higher demand, but as part of our effort to enhance patient safety.

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