How to Write Pharmacy Hours of operations Policy

Pharmacy Hours of operations Policy should list all kind of different scenarios for opening/closing hours of the pharmacy department.

As usual with most of the policies sample posted here, there is some default data that should be listed in the policy header and footer. Below are some of the info that you need to include in your pharmacy hours of operations policy header:

  • Hospital name, obviously.
  • Pharmacy department operational policy and procedure, this header just to notify the reader that the following policy belongs to which department.
  • Policy code or Number, for filing/indexing purposes.
  • Edition Number, same purpose as above.
  • Title of the policy, in our case; it would be pharmacy hours of operations.
  • Important dates [date reviewed, approved date, effective date and due for review date].
  • Applies to [department] in this case it should be pharmacy department
  • And last but not least, you’ll mention the nature of the policy, whether it’s going to be multidisciplinary or department specific. (Department specific policy)
Pharmacy Hours of operations Policy
Pharmacy Hours of operations Policy

Pharmacy Hours of operations Policy

Definition

This policy describes the operation hours for all pharmacies in the hospital.

Purpose

The hours of operation policy was written to provide service consistent with the needs of all hospital patients.

Policy

Pharmacy director working in conjunction with the hospital /medical director will set up hours of operation for the pharmacy services at the hospital.

Procedures and responsibilities

Pharmacy Director

  • Will setup the operation hours for pharmacy sections at the hospital as follow:
    • Inpatient pharmacy: 24 hours daily Saturday to Friday.
    • I.V Room: 12 hours daily 08:00 to 20:00 Saturday to Friday.
    • Urgent and/or stat (single dose} preparation can be carried out anytime during the non operating hours of the I.V service.
    • Outpatient pharmacy: 13 hours daily 08:00 hours to 21:00 hours Saturday to Thursday.
    • Controlled & narcotic substances section operating 9 hours daily (Saturday-Thursday).
  • During non-operating hours, weekends and holidays controlled and narcotic section in charge will be the on-call and he/she can reach the hospital within 20 minutes

You’re almost done and pharmacy hours of operations policy is almost ready, what’s remaining is just few basic policy layout filling.

  • References.
  • Revisions: Revised as per timescale.
  • Distribution: Here you should mentioned where this policy will be sent, and which departments will get a notification for it; for our current pharmacy hours of operations policy we are going to sent it to:
    • Hospital & Medical Director.
    • Pharmacy Department.
    • Signed originals is maintained in Manual & Indexing Office (if available).

The policy is now finished, and it’s time to get proper signatures, whether your hospital is implementing an electronic signatures, or manual sign and stamp.

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