The document discusses guidelines for effective management of a drug store or medical store. It emphasizes the importance of maintaining continuous supply of quality drugs and medical supplies. It outlines objectives like minimizing losses, accurate record keeping, and forecasting needs. It provides policies on staffing, procurement, storage, and supply of items. It discusses location, security, storage areas, stock rotation, drug arrangement and organization of the store room. It also covers special storage conditions, controlled substances, flammables, surgical supplies and cold chain.

1. DRUG STORE MANAGEMENT
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2. INTRODUCTION
o Also known as medical store management
o Pharmacy is a vital area in any health care institution and it is
essential that this department be well stocked at all times to
promptly fill any medication requirements.
o Contains multi-sized items from packets and cases of pills,
various size bottles and containers to intravenous supplies and
prescription forms, all demanding a storage system of flexibility.
o The pharmacy store is the key facility in the supply chain and
distribution for pharmaceutical, medical and surgical inventories
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3. INTRODUCTION
o The trend toward unit dose packaging requires a further more
shelf space.
o In addition to the standard pharmaceuticals required, new
medications are continually being ordered as they appear on the
market, therefore, space must be allocated for the storage of
these items.
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4. Objectives of Good Medical Stores
Management
o To guarantee a continuous supply of drugs and medical stores,
o To maintain the quality of drugs during the whole distribution process,
o To minimize losses through expiration and deterioration,
o To control theft and pilferage,
o To keep accurate inventory records,
o To provide stock movement information in order to forecast needs,
o To use transport means efficiently.
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5. Operational policies
o It shall be headed by a Senior Pharmacist who also supervise
other pharmacists in the store.
o The senior pharmacist shall ensure the security of the store
and shall be supported by administrative staff and general
workers.
o The number of supporting staff shall be proportionate to the
workload and budget managed by the store
o The store shall manage the procurement, storage and supply
of all items as specified by the hospital management
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6. Operational policies
o The store shall ensure the supply is able to meet the
pharmacotherapy and medical needs of the patients.
o Adequate space shall be made available so that First-Expire-
First-Out (FEFO) can be implemented efficiently.
o Mechanical handling equipment and system shall be made
available.
o Computerised system for the management of store shall be
made available for procurement, storage, supply and payment
so as to meet the organisational requirements.
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7. Operational policies
o Comprehensive records of all transactions shall be electronically
documented, maintained and hard copies shall be generated at
regular intervals.
o The store shall manage all the product recalls according to stated
processes and procedures.
o All disposals of items and documents shall be carried out in
accordance with standard procedures and regulations.
o The design of the building shall be rodent and vermin-proof.
o Good housekeeping such as cleaning, sanitation and inspection shall
be carried out as scheduled.
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8. Location of store
o It shall be located at strategic place to allow efficient delivery
activities to be carried out.
o It shall have road access to accommodate vehicles
o It shall be conveniently accessible to internal and external
clients to allow prompt and timely supplies.
o It shall be located away from public area.
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9. Security of store
o CCTV shall be installed at strategic locations within the store
area
o Fire fighting systems and equipment such as smoke detectors
and fire extinguishers shall be installed accordingly.
o Fire alarm system shall be incorporated and connected to the
control room of the hospital.
o Fire evacuation plan shall be provided, displayed and adhered
to.
o To maintain store safe from weather hazard, it shall be built on
a raised foundation to allow water to drain away from the store.
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10. Storage Area
o Storage area shall be sufficient for keeping all inventories.
o There shall be sufficient physically separated areas with appropriate
storage conditions for orderly segregation of products namely
biological, refrigerated, inflammable and corrosive liquid and solids,
medical gases, cytotoxic drugs, dangerous drugs and Psychotropic
Substances etc.
o Special storage areas shall be well ventilated.
o Separate areas for receiving and issuing shall be provided to enhance
efficiency and security.
o Receiving of goods in the receiving area shall be inspected and
entered into the stock recording system that may be manual,
computerised or both.
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11. Stock Rotation
o Important to follow the FEFO rule- stocking and issuing.
o Following FEFO minimizes wastage from product expiration.
o Remove regularly all the expired items from the store and
check for near-to expiry drugs which cannot be used
completely.
o Mark all containers and boxes with the expiration date of the
drug.
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12. Stock Rotation
o Put drugs with the earliest expiration date in front or on top
and drugs with the latest expiration in the back or below.
o Do not divide drug stocks for same products over different
locations.
o Record the expiration date for every drug during physical
inventories.
o It is very important to check the expiry dates and make sure
that the dates are visible while the products are in storage.
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13. Arranging drugs in store
o Place the liquids on the lower shelves or on the bottom of
stacks.
o Store products that require cold storage in appropriate
temperature controlled zones.
o Attractive and controlled products should be store in
appropriate security zones.
o Damaged or near expiry products from the usable stock should
be used prior without delay, and dispose using established
disposal procedures.
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14. Arranging drugs in store
o Always store all commodities in a manner that facilitates FEFO
rule.
o Expiry dates and manufacturing dates should be visible and if
not possible, write the product name and expiry date on the
visible side.
o There is no definite rule in managing the store; people manage
it as per their own needs and ease.
o The alphabetical arrangement is followed wherever possible,
within the section.
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15. Organizing the storeroom
In general hospitals handling a variety of supplies, the storeroom is
divided into the following areas.
◦ Alcohol and Liquors
◦ Biologicals and other cold room inventory
◦ Capsules and Tablets
◦ Laboratory Instruments
◦ Chemicals
◦ Surgical Instruments
◦ Rubber Goods
◦ Narcotic Vault
◦ Sutures
◦ Ointments
◦ Medical and Surgical Supplies
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16. Organizing the storeroom
o Each shelf, drawer, or bin within the section is numbered to
facilitate location of the item during the taking of a physical
inventory as well as to locate the item for new personnel
o Regularly checked for eliminating the expired drugs and those
near to the expiry.
o Each product should have a designated place, well identified by
a fixed label. The label should indicate the generic name, form
and dosage
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17. Organizing the storeroom
o Provide sufficient space between and for each drug.
o Arrangement should allow fast inspection.
o It should be possible to note the number of each box and
evaluate in a few minutes, current stock or monthly consumption
of a product.
o Only a few hours should be needed to do a complete inventory.
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18. Special storage conditions
o Some products need storage in an access-controlled
environment.
o Therefore, it is important to identify the products that are at
risk of theft or abuse or have the potential for addiction, and to
provide increased security for these items.
o There are other drugs which needs special storage conditions
whose identification is very important.
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19. Controlled substances
o Kept in a locked cupboard or in a safe to which only one or two
persons have access.
o Every entry and exit should be recorded in a register, which can
be found in the cupboard or safe.
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20. Flammables and corrosives
o A separate building is the best, since this greatly reduces the
risk of spreading fire to the central store.
o Must be well ventilated and fireproof.
o A small working stock may be kept in a steel cabinet in well-
ventilated premises, away from open flames and electrical
appliances.
o Cabinets should be designed to contain and isolate the spillage
so to always store flammables in their original container.
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21. Surgical/Non drug store
o Adequate, designated storage area for bulk surgical /
consumable / disposable items/ x-ray films shall be provided.
o Dispensing bottles, containers, labels and envelopes shall be
kept in a designated area.
o Adjustable, modular, heavy duty open racks shall be provided.
o Sufficient space shall be made available for movements.
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22. Other items
o Some items which are prone to theft or abuse or misuse (the
expensive ones and first aid ones) should be stored in a lock and
key that requires record keeping and more frequent stock
checking.
o Periodic audits should be made of consumption (issues) against
actual recorded use (outpatient registers) to expose any theft or
misuse.
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23. Cold Chain
o System of storing and transporting the vaccines at
recommended temperatures from the point of manufacture to
the point of use.
o Potency of a vaccine is maintained by cold chain
o Majorities of commonly recommended vaccines require storage
temperatures of 35°F - 46°F (2°C - 8°C) and must not be exposed
to freezing temperatures.
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24. Cold Chain Equipments
WALK-IN-FREEZERS
Used for bulk storage of measles
vaccines and to prepare frozen
ice packs at state stores.
Maintain a temperature around
minus 20°C.
WALK-IN-COOLERS
Used for bulk storage of
vaccines at state and regional
stores.
Maintain a temperature of
+2°C to +8°C.
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25. Cold Chain Equipments
DEEP FREEZERS
Cabinet temperature between -
18° to -20°C.
In case of power failure, it can
maintain the cabinet
temperature for 18 to 26 hours,
if not opened.
CONVENTIONAL REFRIGERATORS
Temperature ranges from +2 to
+8°C.
Measles and polio vaccines are kept
on the top shelf below the freezer.
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26. Vaccine transportation equipments
COLD BOXES
Used for transportation of large
quantities of vaccines.
Used to store vaccines for transfer
up to five days.
VACCINE CARRIERS
Health workers use it for carrying
small quantities of vaccines
Fully frozen ice packs are used to
keep vaccines cold in the carrier.
Vaccines can be kept for 48 hrs.
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27. Store Management in hospitals
o Antiseptics, other drugs for external use and disinfectants are
stored separately from internal and injectable drugs.
o Biologicals and other thermo labile drugs must be stored in
refrigerators in accordance with claimed standards.
o Outdated or otherwise unusable drugs must be identified and
stored properly for disposition.
o Distribution and administration of controlled drugs must be
adequately documented for legal issues.
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28. Store Management in hospitals
o Investigational drugs are properly stored distributed and
controlled.
o Emergency drugs must be in adequate amounts in the
emergency medication carts, kits.
o The metric-apothecary weight and measure conversion charts
must be available for those professional individuals who may
acquire them
o Maintaining an adequate drug supply at all times.
o Establish specifications for the procurement of drugs.
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29. Issuing area/counter
o Supply to the various departments is carried out here.
o Indents from various departments shall be processed and
prepared for supply and kept in this area until collected.
o An issuing counter shall be provided with adequate waiting
space.
o The area shall be equipped with appropriate office furniture
and equipment.
o Sufficient space for material handling is required
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30. Administrative area
o Pharmacist in charge office
o Pharmacist work station
o General office
o Meeting/discussion room
o Document room
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31. THANK YOU
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