Pharmacists, who have many authorities and responsibilities in the medical field, have to fulfill the obligations at different stages in order to open a pharmacy. It is only one of the responsibilities of pharmacists to preserve medicines at certain standards and to maintain their quality.
When it comes to meeting these standards for medicines, there are must-have equipment in pharmacies. Thanks to these equipment, drugs, vaccines or other needed medical products can be stored under appropriate conditions.
In addition to the mandatory equipment, there are also medical supplies and drugs that should be in pharmacies.
Moreover, materials that should be found in the pharmacy laboratories are determined by the Ministry of Health, and all pharmacies are required to have these equipment. With this article, you can learn about the must-have equipment in pharmacies.
What Services Do Pharmacies Offer?
While pharmacists are equipped with different powers, the pharmacies opened must be able to fulfill different obligations. All the requirements, from the signs to be used in pharmacies to the medicines to be kept, are communicated by the Ministry of Health. All pharmacies offered in pharmacies; It is important that it has the features in the Turkish Codex.
Pharmacists can prepare drugs to be used in the treatment of patients. And also monitor the effect, safety and cost of the drugs.
The standardization that needs to be ensured regarding drugs is also among the duties of the pharmacist. In order to meet these conditions, equipment that must be in the pharmacies is provided by the pharmacists at the opening stage. In addition to providing medicines and other needed medical supplies, pharmacists are also responsible for informing patients about the use of medicine.
Correct and safe use of medical devices and materials purchased by patients depend on the information given by the pharmacists. Some drugs require a prescription, while others do not. The supply and consultancy service of any prescription or non-prescription drug is also among the pharmacy services.
Equipment with Special Storage Conditions
There are drugs that require special storage conditions in pharmacies. In addition to these, there are also drugs and vaccines that need the cold chain. This causes different products to be found in the category of equipment that must be in pharmacies.
Refrigerators are necessary in order to keep medicines that require special conditions and to maintain their right conditions. The stage of presenting the products within the cold chain to patients is also important. Because these drugs need to be kept under appropriate conditions even after they are taken by the patient. Medical cooling devices, heat monitoring devices, medical waste cabinets and scales are among the must-have equipment in pharmacies.
Medical Cooling Devices Used in Pharmacies
Medical coolers are among the must-have equipment in pharmacies. Coolers, which are needed in many different areas within the health sector, are also one of the must-have equipment in pharmacies. The properties of refrigerators used in pharmacies are determined by the Ministry of Health. It is important that refrigerators used to store drugs and vaccines allow safe use.
There are also different devices for storing specific products among medical coolers. Vaccine refrigerator, blood bank refrigerator and medical freezers are among these cooler device alternatives. But pharmacies don’t have to have all of them. Just having a refrigerator is sufficient for many pharmacies.
Coolermed coolers ensure the most accurate storage of sensitive products such as drugs and vaccines. Refrigerators, which are among the must-have equipment in pharmacies, have different features. Equipped with qualified features, Coolermed cooler models are produced in accordance with the criteria in the Ministry of Health legislation.
The temperature and humidity values ••of the refrigerator as well as the pharmacy are important when it comes to drug storage. First of all, refrigerators with thermometers can be preferred in order to monitor the temperature inside the refrigerator regularly, or a thermometer can be placed in the refrigerator.
Features that pharmacy cabinets should contain are briefly as follows:
- The temperature of the refrigerator must be stable. The ideal temperature for the refrigerator corresponds to +4 degrees.
- Having separate freezer and cooler sections in refrigerators is important for medicines that need to be stored under different conditions.
- Adjustable shelves provide both comfort and ease of use.
- Defrost feature is one of the indispensable features of refrigerators in pharmacies.
Their maintenance is as important as the equipment that should be in pharmacies. Thanks to the regular maintenance of refrigerators, possible problems can be detected and prevented in advance.
Temperature and Humidity Tracking Devices Used in Pharmacies
Medicine and other medical products subject to the cold chain must be safely stored without breaking the chain. In addition to refrigerators used to provide a suitable environment, heat and humidity monitoring devices are among the equipment that should be in pharmacies. It is obligatory to have a monitor or thermometer in the coolers used in pharmacies against sudden temperature changes. Otherwise, the cold chain may be broken and drugs may lose their effects.
Thermometers with memory records and temperature and humidity monitoring devices with an early warning system are among the must-have equipment in pharmacies. While the ideal temperature range in pharmacies is between 18 and 26 º C, the humidity range is between 30% and 60%.
The required temperature range of the refrigerator is also between 2 to 8 º C. Temperature and humidity monitoring device notifies you with an alarm when the temperature and humidity in the refrigerator or the environment show a sudden change.
Coolermed provides different needs with its experience in the health sector and the technology it uses includes new generation technology in its cooler models. Remote access via WiFi, which is optionally available in cooler models, provides ease of use. Thanks to this feature, temperature control can be done quickly in pharmacies. In addition, the SD card feature, where temperature data can be stored for 10 years, allows retrospective tracking. This card stores temperature data as well as fault records. Thus, it becomes easier to detect if any malfunction is repeated.
Equipment Used in Pharmacy Laboratories
Must-have equipment in the pharmacies is determined according to the responsibilities of the pharmacists. Pharmacists’ responsibilities include the preparation of magistral drugs. During the preparation of this type of drug, many materials are used, from chemicals to glass bottles. Pharmacies should have counters dedicated to the production of these drugs. It is important that the countertop material is made of marble or different materials that do not allow microbiological contamination.
In the preparation of magistral drugs, it is necessary to pay attention to the measures prescribed by the doctors. For this reason, there are also kilogram or precision scales among the equipment that should be in pharmacies. Controls and maintenance of scales should be done regularly as in all other devices. After the checks done by relevant institutions every 2 years a document is obtained that must be permanently available in the pharmacy.
Waste Cabinets for Toxic Substances Used in Pharmacies
The use of toxic substances may be necessary during the preparation of magistral drugs. Toxic substances that become waste should be stored in separate cabinets. It is very important for health reasons that wastes are stored in the right conditions until the collection vehicles arrive.
In order not to increase the microorganisms suitable for reproduction, they must be contained in +4 degrees. Medical waste cabinets are designed in different volumes. They are also used by pharmacies for temporary storage of waste.
Coolermed medical waste cabinets have glass-free block doors. Thanks to their stainless steel bodies, wastes can be stored safely. Coolermed offers different model alternatives for waste cabinets where insulation is also important.
You can benefit from Coolermed’s product range for must-have equipment in the pharmacies. Offering reliable cooler and freezer models for the storage of vital products, Coolermed produces at high standards. Combining innovative designs with a long service life, Coolermed always stands by the users with the service support it provides.
You can reach our previous article from the following link https://coolermed.com/en/maintenance-of-medical-freezers/