Are Your Policies and Procedures Any
Good?
Inspectors continue to find violations relating to incomplete,
inaccurate, or missing policies and procedures.
Specifically, inspectors have observed an increasing
number of instances where:
♦♦ The pharmacy’s policies and procedures were outdated
or clearly conflicted with state or federal law.
♦♦ The written policy and procedure was distinctly
different from the policy and procedure actually
followed by pharmacy staff.
♦♦ Pharmacy staff were unaware of the pharmacy’s
policies and procedures or had never been trained on
pharmacy requirements. In some instances, pharmacy
staff reported never seeing the pharmacy’s policies
and procedures. In others, the pharmacy’s policies
and procedures were unopened and still in factory
shrink-wrap.
Effective policies and procedures will promote consistency
and prevent compliance violations. Policies and
procedures should be reviewed on a regular basis and
updated as needed. However, even the best policies and
procedures are insufficient if pharmacy staff have not been
properly trained. Relevant changes should be shared and
discussed with pharmacy staff.
Generally, Missouri law requires the following policies
and procedures:
continue to read here