Insulins left a room temperature

[rphola123]

Hello,

my store has a bad habit of leaving insulins in bags and not refrigerating them. On too many occasions I have seen lantus pens bagged and left in pickup bag without being refrigerated. When this happens , I usually haz waste the insulin but I assume we are losing a lot of money doing this. I know some insulins are good at room temp for up to 14, 28, 42 days depending. How do you guys handle these situations at your stores.

Thanks

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[CetiAlphaFive]

Hello,
my store has a bad habit of leaving insulins in bags and not refrigerating them. On too many occasions I have seen lantus pens bagged and left in pickup bag without being refrigerated. When this happens , I usually haz waste the insulin but I assume we are losing a lot of money doing this. I know some insulins are good at room temp for up to 14, 28, 42 days depending. How do you guys handle these situations at your stores.
Thanks

Formal disciplinary action

 

[Momus]

YOU need to take the insulin out of the tote so it doesn't get bagged accidentally.

If you are lazy, you can leave it on the counter, you don't have to go run to the fridge. Let the tech do that. Way less chance to bag it wrong this way.

 

[Mr. Corporate Pharmacist]

Hello,

my store has a bad habit of leaving insulins in bags and not refrigerating them. On too many occasions I have seen lantus pens bagged and left in pickup bag without being refrigerated. When this happens , I usually haz waste the insulin but I assume we are losing a lot of money doing this. I know some insulins are good at room temp for up to 14, 28, 42 days depending. How do you guys handle these situations at your stores.

Thanks

To minimize loss, I will try to dispense the insulin that day to someone picking up and counsel with the agreement that it must be used within the specified date range.

Most people are okay if they have been using insulin a while and understand that room temperature is safe. Important thing is to be completely transparent with the patient and ensure the product is viable.

Waste happens, but if it's costing the business money consistently, some root cause analysis and coaching might be warranted.

 

[ericn2k3]

Change your workflow. Don't bag fridge item. Get a couple lbs of rubber bands. Fold Rx label and rubber bands all fridge item. No bag = less space needed for storage.

 

[Sine Cura]

One warning, then write-up.

It is literally lost money and dispensing exposes you to an adulteration accusation. If you are not allowed to write people up at a chain for that WTF man

 

[Rouelle]

Pharmacist verifies it, bags it, and immediately puts it in the fridge. It’s virtually foolproof.

 

[Sparda29]

Do pharmacists at chains get evaluated on the amount of waste/loss that happens?

 

[Rouelle]

Do pharmacists at chains get evaluated on the amount of waste/loss that happens?

As far as I know, the pharmacy as a whole does but it is not broken down by individual pharmacist.

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

To minimize loss, I will try to dispense the insulin that day to someone picking up and counsel with the agreement that it must be used within the specified date range.

Most people are okay if they have been using insulin a while and understand that room temperature is safe. Important thing is to be completely transparent with the patient and ensure the product is viable.

Waste happens, but if it's costing the business money consistently, some root cause analysis and coaching might be warranted.

You're setting yourself up to get owned by a pissed off tech.

Unless you're an independent owner or PIC, there is absolutely no reason to do that.

 

[Wickett]

Not sure about your work flow, but this is why I always have the verifying RPh bag all their stuff and we don't bag fridge items until pickup. The monograph is stapled to an empty paper Rx bag and a laminated "item in fridge" neon yellow note goes in the clear hang bag the clerks put up. If more than one fridge item, they're rubber banded together and placed in the bottom fridge drawer, and we write how many fridge items on the monograph.

They see the note upon pt pickup and get the fridge item(s) to sell. We have a small fridge so it's less clutter and for clerks unfamiliar with what's a fridge item or not, the monographs are all in the same place hanging up in ABC order. There may be better ways, but I've only had one fridge item hanging room temp in a bag the 2.5 years I've worked and I was able to ID and notify the RPh that made the error.

 

[Mr. Corporate Pharmacist]

You're setting yourself up to get owned by a pissed off tech.

Unless you're an independent owner or PIC, there is absolutely no reason to do that.

You're right. Taking on some liability, but that's why transparency is important. I manage a corporate retail pharmacy like it's my own business, and my team follows my lead.

 

[CetiAlphaFive]

You're right. Taking on some liability, but that's why transparency is important. I manage a corporate retail pharmacy like it's my own business, and my team follows my lead.

Hahahah, sure thing.

Make sure to give some extra cash to the IRS on April 15th too

 

[Lnsean]

Whoever bags it puts it in the fridge