BIOMEDIC SPECIALISTS: ENSURING REGULATORY COMPLIANCE AND PATIENT SAFETY

Abstract

A jarring near miss at the local pharmacy prompts the engagement of a unique, legally trained pharmacist to ensure regulatory compliance and patient safety of another as well as specialty pharmacies. Near-miss safety experiences have been reported by specialized pharmacists and other health professionals, but largely remain focused on the traditional practice of pharmacy as a retail location serving walk-in customers. Custom designed medications in healthcare economics have since propelled the opening of three new pharmacy company models. Because these businesses dispense to outpatients based on a prescription, they must also comply with a myriad of federal and state medication laws beyond the pharmaceutical compounding that is the hallmark of these unique businesses. A secure extract-scrambling lock was designed and built to prevent unauthorized access to discarded control substances with limited success, prompting engagement of a medical chemist to craft an expanded proof-of-concept design.