The following will give you an example how to handle a situation when a medication is requested for a patient, and it’s not available in the pharmacy. Management of out of stock formulary medications is really essential part of the hospital formulary policy.
In case of life-saving critical medications:
- The pharmacist should check for other possible available alternatives/substitution and inform the requesting physician.
- If it’s during the operating horse; to call the pharmacy store supervisor immediately to arrange for supplying the shortage stock.
- If it’s not during the operating hours; the pharmacist shall check with other sister hospitals.
- If not found in sister hospitals, the pharmacist should call neighbor hospitals and fill the pharmacy borrowing form.
- If not found in the neighbor hospitals during non-operating hours, the pharmacist should call and inform the pharmacy store supervisor in order to get the medication by transfer or by urgent direct purchasing.
- The process should be completed within 24 working hours.
In case of non-life saving medications
- The pharmacist should check for other possible available therapeutic alternatives/substitution and inform the requesting physician.
- If it’s during the operating horse; to call the pharmacy store supervisor immediately to arrange for supplying the shortage stock.
- If it’s not during the operating hours; the pharmacist shall check with other sister hospitals.
- If not found in sister hospitals, the pharmacist should call neighbor hospitals and fill the pharmacy borrowing form.
- The process should be completed within 48 working hours.
- A note of drug availability/not available and the suggested substitution will be distributed by pharmacy supervisor to all physicians through the medical director on monthly bases.
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