LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 352.17 Pharmacy Warehouse
 
  PROCEDURES
  1. Receipt
     
    1. Medications shall be delivered by the wholesaler to the DMH Pharmacy Warehouse. 
       
      1. Each delivery shall be signed for and received by the Chief of Pharmacy/designee.
         
      2. The Chief of Pharmacy/designee shall inventory the medications or devices immediately and document them in the inventory log.
         
    2. Receipt of invoices shall be kept for a minimum of three (3) years.
       
    3. Upon receipt, the pharmacist shall visually examine the outside of each shipping container for contamination and damage. 
       
      1. Contaminated and damaged medications shall be returned to the wholesaler without exception.
         
  2. Security
     
    1. A current list of authorized personnel shall be kept in the DMH Pharmacy Warehouse Inspection Folder.
       
    2. The Chief of Pharmacy shall issue access cards to authorized personnel.
       
    3. Access to the warehouse shall be monitored through the electronic access control and monitoring system.
       
    4. Chief of Pharmacy appointed staff shall check electronic access logs daily and notify the Chief of Pharmacy/designee of any unapproved entry into the warehouse.
       
    5. Upon termination of employment, authorized personnel shall return access cards to the Chief of Pharmacy/designee.
       
  3. Storage
     
    1. The temperature of storage areas shall be entered into temperature monitoring logs on each business day with all entries signed by persons responsible for monitoring.
       
    2. Medications shall be organized in medication cabinets that are clearly labeled.
       
    3. No medications shall be on the floor.
       
  4. Inventory
     
    1. Outdated medications shall be quarantined for reverse distribution vendor and pharmaceutical waste management vendor collection.
       
      1. Outdated medications quarantined for reverse distribution collection shall be logged into the inventory record.
         
    2. Damaged, deteriorated, misbranded, or adulterated medications shall be placed in a quarantined area and either returned to the wholesaler or discarded in the appropriate receptacle. Inventory shall be adjusted to reflect the change.
       
    3. Medications in which outer or secondary container seals have been broken and medications that have been partially used shall be removed and placed in a quarantine area or discarded in the pharmaceutical waste bin.  Inventory shall be adjusted to reflect the change.
       
    4. Chief of Pharmacy/designee shall investigate discrepancies in inventory count and shall correct identified inaccuracies.
       
  5. Distribution
     
    1. The clinic nurse lead shall submit a floor-stock special request form to DMH Pharmacy Services using Acuity Scheduling.
       
    2. DMH Pharmacy Services shall record on inventory logs the amount dispensed.
       
    3. Inventory logs shall be kept for a minimum of three (3) years.
       
    4. Chief of Pharmacy/designee shall monitor for compliance.
        
  6. Reports of Loss or Theft
     
    1. The owner or corporate officer of the warehouse shall report theft or loss to the California Board of Pharmacy within 30 days of discovery. The report shall include medication amounts and strengths.