How to manage the practice dispensary
Abstract
Dispensary management is made of different elements: the stock (what you stock, the amount you stock, rotation of old and new); the personnel within the dispensary; and the protocols that they are required to adhere to. Some of these elements you will be in control of and some will be set out by the practice. Monitoring of stock usage helps to set overall quantities of what is kept in. Monitoring of any dispensing errors can help identify how to improve protocols, placement of items on shelves and look at the type and quantity of items that are held in stock.
The running and management of the pharmacy area in many veterinary practices often falls under the remit of one of the veterinary nurses. Efficient management of the pharmacy and good stock control ensures that the right medicine is available in the right place and at the right time, and that not too much capital is tied up unnecessarily. It also protects against problems arising in the supply chain. There are many elements that need to be adhered to or taken into consideration when running the pharmacy. Learning from mistakes can be vital. Within the pharmacy it is good practice to:
How and where you place items on the shelves might seem an easy and logical thing to do, but placement is really important in preventing errors. Many practices will put their items on the shelf with some form of alphabetical ordering. The items might be sectioned into flea control, wormers, liquids, large animal and small animal. There is no best order to do this, except the order that causes the least number of errors. Monitoring errors and then trialling different systems will help to highlight the most effective system for your workplace.
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