69d ago
RS

Pharmacy Inventory Management Notes

Pharmacy Inventory

  • Maintaining appropriate inventory is essential for daily pharmacy operations.

  • Pharmacy technicians should know all aspects of inventory control, including medications and supplies.

  • Too much inventory:

    • Medication expiration.

    • Diversion potential.

    • Capital tied up.

  • Too little inventory: delays and partial fills.

Ordering

  • Knowing when and how much to order is vital.

  • Reorder Points and Reorder Quantities (ROP/ROQ):

    • System using set parameters to identify when and how much to order.

    • ROP: set minimum stock level for reordering.

    • ROQ: identifies how much of the medication should be ordered.

    • Computer software is used to review trends and automatically set levels.

    • Shelf bins are labeled with medication descriptions, order numbers, and ROP/ROQs.

  • Responsibilities of pharmacy technicians when ordering prescriptions:

    • Review computer-generated orders and edit as needed.

    • Manually log items to be ordered.

    • Fill out DEA-222 forms for C-II controlled substances (max 10 items per form) and have them signed by a pharmacist.

    • Visually inspect fast movers and emergency medication shelves.

    • Notify the pharmacist if an item is on back order or discontinued.

    • Print copies of submitted orders.

Receiving

  • A proper receiving system lessens the likelihood of error and improves efficiency.

  • The receiver should be different from the submitter to prevent diversion.

  • Responsibilities:

    • Verify supplier name/address and order quantity against the purchase order.

    • Inspect shipments for damage and note observations.

    • Prioritize products needing extra care (temperature, controlled substances).

    • Wear PPE when handling hazardous medications.

    • Check the following to maintain the accuracy of a shipment:

      • Name

      • Brand/trade name (trademark of the originating manufacturing company)

      • Quantity

      • Dosage

      • Strength

      • National Drug Code (NDC) number

    • Sign and date the invoice.

    • Check expiration dates.

    • Bring new, discontinued, partial fills, special orders, or back-ordered products to the pharmacist's attention.

Stocking

  • Stocking shipments in a timely manner is critical.

  • Attention to the following:

    • Check expiration dates of new products against existing stock. First In, First Out (FIFO) method.

    • Inspect products for anything unusual.

    • Report any findings to the pharmacist.

    • Communicate recurring prescription patterns to purchasers to prevent stock shortages.

    • Use ROP/ROQ to identify items to order.

    • Examine stock for damaged or recalled products.

  • Monitor expiration dates.

    • Pull medications expiring soon (e.g., in 3 months or less).

    • Return medications to the distributor/manufacturer for credit if possible.

    • Medications can lose effectiveness or become toxic after expiration.

    • Monitor nursing units and automated dispensing machines in institutional settings.

    • Shared responsibility among pharmacy technicians; records are kept.

    • Color-coded stickers can signal expiring medications.

    • Adjust ROPs and ROQs based on expiration trends.

    • Manually adjust on-hand inventory based on policies.

    • Check refrigerated areas for outdated medications, ensuring temperatures are in range.

    • Wear PPE when checking hazardous medications for expiration dates.


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Pharmacy Inventory Management Notes

Pharmacy Inventory

  • Maintaining appropriate inventory is essential for daily pharmacy operations.
  • Pharmacy technicians should know all aspects of inventory control, including medications and supplies.
  • Too much inventory:
    • Medication expiration.
    • Diversion potential.
    • Capital tied up.
  • Too little inventory: delays and partial fills.

Ordering

  • Knowing when and how much to order is vital.
  • Reorder Points and Reorder Quantities (ROP/ROQ):
    • System using set parameters to identify when and how much to order.
    • ROP: set minimum stock level for reordering.
    • ROQ: identifies how much of the medication should be ordered.
    • Computer software is used to review trends and automatically set levels.
    • Shelf bins are labeled with medication descriptions, order numbers, and ROP/ROQs.
  • Responsibilities of pharmacy technicians when ordering prescriptions:
    • Review computer-generated orders and edit as needed.
    • Manually log items to be ordered.
    • Fill out DEA-222 forms for C-II controlled substances (max 10 items per form) and have them signed by a pharmacist.
    • Visually inspect fast movers and emergency medication shelves.
    • Notify the pharmacist if an item is on back order or discontinued.
    • Print copies of submitted orders.

Receiving

  • A proper receiving system lessens the likelihood of error and improves efficiency.
  • The receiver should be different from the submitter to prevent diversion.
  • Responsibilities:
    • Verify supplier name/address and order quantity against the purchase order.
    • Inspect shipments for damage and note observations.
    • Prioritize products needing extra care (temperature, controlled substances).
    • Wear PPE when handling hazardous medications.
    • Check the following to maintain the accuracy of a shipment:
      • Name
      • Brand/trade name (trademark of the originating manufacturing company)
      • Quantity
      • Dosage
      • Strength
      • National Drug Code (NDC) number
    • Sign and date the invoice.
    • Check expiration dates.
    • Bring new, discontinued, partial fills, special orders, or back-ordered products to the pharmacist's attention.

Stocking

  • Stocking shipments in a timely manner is critical.
  • Attention to the following:
    • Check expiration dates of new products against existing stock. First In, First Out (FIFO) method.
    • Inspect products for anything unusual.
    • Report any findings to the pharmacist.
    • Communicate recurring prescription patterns to purchasers to prevent stock shortages.
    • Use ROP/ROQ to identify items to order.
    • Examine stock for damaged or recalled products.
  • Monitor expiration dates.
    • Pull medications expiring soon (e.g., in 3 months or less).
    • Return medications to the distributor/manufacturer for credit if possible.
    • Medications can lose effectiveness or become toxic after expiration.
    • Monitor nursing units and automated dispensing machines in institutional settings.
    • Shared responsibility among pharmacy technicians; records are kept.
    • Color-coded stickers can signal expiring medications.
    • Adjust ROPs and ROQs based on expiration trends.
    • Manually adjust on-hand inventory based on policies.
    • Check refrigerated areas for outdated medications, ensuring temperatures are in range.
    • Wear PPE when checking hazardous medications for expiration dates.