How to Make a Policy and Procedure Manual for a Pharmacy

Following the wrong procedure in a pharmacy can put both the patient's health and the pharmacist's license at risk. A pharmacy should have measures in place to keep the staff trained, to protect patients' privacy, to avoid dispensing errors and to facilitate smooth operation of the business. A policy and procedure manual helps ensure that all pharmacy employees conduct their business consistently, reducing the risk of errors and preserving the pharmacy's reputation.

Instructions

• 1

  Form a committee to oversee the adoption of the manual. The committee should consist of a pharmacist, a manager and an administrative employee.

• 2

  Buy a copy of a sample policy and procedure manual. Don't risk leaving something important out by trying to create a new manual from scratch. As of March 2011, the Kansas Pharmacists Association offers a model policies and procedures manual for $100, and MCN Healthcare sells an editable manual for $299.

• 3

  Edit the sample manual, so it includes only policies that your organization can support and procedures that your organization can implement. The pharmacist should review the pharmaceutical policies, such as medication management -- while the manager reviews management policies, such as pharmaceutical waste management -- and the administrative employee reviews clerical policies, such as documentation.

• 4

  Print a copy of the manual and submit it to the pharmacy's chief executive or board of directors for approval. After the manual is approved, require all pharmacy employees to read the manual and acknowledge in writing that they have read it.