In the healthcare industry, efficiency and accuracy are key to proper patient care. Pharmacies are one realm in need of extraordinary organization. Healthcare specialists must locate proper pharmaceuticals, fill prescriptions and provide patients with the right medication. Therefore, workflow efficiency and accuracy are augmented by proper storage solutions.
Storage designers should fluently understand a pharmacy’s daily operations and create storage solutions accordingly. In the guide below, we discuss the importance of storage and provide three storage solutions for your pharmacy designed to maintain stability, organization and efficiency.
The Importance of Pharmaceutical Storage
Anyone working in the pharmaceutical industry understands the importance of accurately allotting prescription drugs. The quality of environment before filling a prescription should be prioritized. Additionally, collecting the proper dose in the right storage container and distributing to the proper individual are imperative. As obvious as it may seem, a single error during prescription filling can severely impact a patient’s health and safety.
According to the World Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, “Drug storage is among the pharmacist’s most important responsibilities… one of the fundamental concerns in patient care.” The specific environmental conditions in which pharmaceuticals are stored can deeply impact quality, contamination, deterioration, and degradation. These specific conditions may include “temperature, humidity, air quality, time, and production process characteristics.”
Temperature & Drug Stability
In a storage environment, temperature serves as a key factor with its potentially detrimental impacts on drug stability. When temperatures are too extreme, the chemical stability alters, resulting in deterioration or impurity. While the pharmaceutical compound may not form mold or change color, the results of degradation become evident while the drug is in use. In certain cases, the physical properties of the pharmaceutical may change. Obvious physical changes alert the healthcare specialist that the drug is no longer useful – and may seriously harm the patient.
The World Journal of Pharmacy states:
Stock must be stored in appropriate and auditable environmental conditions… Appropriate conditions of light, humidity, ventilation, temperature, and security should be ensured. All medicinal products must be stored in accordance with the manufacturer’s directions and within the terms of product authorizations… Pharmaceutical products should be packed in a well closed container that protects the contents from contamination by extraneous solids, liquids or vapors and the loss of the products under normal conditions of handling and storage.
Organization & Workflow Efficiency
To ensure proper and accurate pharmaceutical storage, workflow efficiency and organization are additional important factors. Organizing prescription medication bottles, lids, labels, bags, glass dropper bottles, and syringe tips increases speed and accuracy during production.
Many resources conclude that inventory is a key factor to improving pharmacy efficiency. Having too much or too little is problematic. Understanding every item’s location is crucial to maintaining an ideal amount of inventory. In addition to resources, space also contributes to efficiency. How far must your pharmacist or technician walk to fulfill a prescription order? Are your pharmaceuticals and medication bottles logically placed and organized?
The ideal storage solutions for your pharmacy helps protect the integrity of your pharmaceuticals and organize your supplies.
Excellent Pharmacy Storage Solutions
The Times-2™ Concept: Rotating Storage Cabinet
Times-2™ rotary cabinets rotate for access from either side, doubling storage capacity while claiming little floor space. Times-2™ solutions often replace lateral cabinets that waste central filing space. This storage concept is excellent for organizing patient information while maximizing storage capacity – allowing more room for workstations, desks and pharmaceutical storage solutions.
Mobile Shelving
Mobile shelving allows pharmacists additional storage as it takes up half the space. Unlike traditional stationary shelves, Aurora Storage®’s mobile shelving units move back and forth and/or side-to-side by using a rail system, providing a high-density and durable solution. A few features include:
- Modular components for design freedom
- Heavy-duty quality
- Easy assembly and disassembly
- Standard sizes and styles
- Recycled steel content (40%) and a document-safe finish with no volatile organic compounds harmful to the environment
- Limited Lifetime Warranty
- Custom design assistance
Aurora Storage’s mobile units can be ordered with bin dividers, an add-on with application in the pharmaceutical industry that is excellent for organizing supplies.
Wire Shelving
Traditional wire shelving is useful for various needs across a plethora of industries. In any setting, wire shelving serves as a versatile storage solution. Noted for their strength and durability, wire racks are easily installed and are available in several finishes. Aurora Storage’s wire racks are all welded construction that withstand a lifting capacity of 600-800 pounds. Each wire rack is also available with plastic bin add-ons for efficient organization capabilities.
Museum Storage Cabinets
As the name implies, museum storage cabinets are designed to safely store aged, priceless and historical items. Though built for this purpose, museum storage cabinets are utilized in a variety of industries, including healthcare applications. The protection of pharmaceuticals is priority. Therefore, museum storage cabinets are an excellent solution. A few features include:
- Water shield top: included on all cabinets in the event of an overhead sprinkler discharge
- Durable powder coat: finish has no off-gassing, making it harmless to stored items
- Heavy duty lift-off hinge design
- Industry-unique compression handle: effectively compresses the silicone door gasket at multiple points
- Heavy-duty base
- Multiple accessories: choose from a variety of adjustable shelves, drawers, and dividers.
- Steel reinforced: full perimeter reinforced lift-off doors will not warp, rattle or flex.
- Optional work surface: optional Pullout Work Surface slides out to create a quick work area for fulfilling orders or viewing specific pharmaceuticals.
- Silicone gasket: with no off-gassing to protect stored items.
Aurora Storage: Protecting Your Products
Aurora Storage is dedicated to providing secure solutions for every story, a whole new dimension of shelving. Some of our markets and industries include libraries, museums, education, industrial, government, and healthcare. Each market experiences exponential growth in organization and workflow efficiency while using our storage solutions.
Whether you have questions or you’re ready to work together on a storage solution, please feel free to reach out. You can contact our customer service team at [email protected] or complete our online form. We look forward to building your ideal storage solution.