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12/29/2016 BG -- UPDATE: Unit-dosing Controlled drugs - new requirement at HH Main & HHWC

From: Becky Ginn 
Sent: Thursday, December 29, 2016 2:15 PM
To: Pharmacy HHWC; PharmTechs Main Central; PharmacistsMain Central
Cc: Christopher Strickland
Subject: UPDATE: Unit-dosing Controlled drugs - new requirement at HH Main & HHWC

Due to several instances in which unopened/sealed bottles of controlled substances have been short tabs/caps from the manufacturer.....We are extending the requirement (outlined below) to ALL CONTROLLED substances C-2, C-3, C-4, and C-5s.

If HHWC Pharmacy sends a bottle to be unit-dosed to Main, it should be unopened/sealed.....IF it has been opened at HHWC, then the HHWC staff is responsible for the verifying count prior to sending. Please let me or Katie Vandiver know if you have questions.

Basically, anytime a bulk bottle of a controlled substance is opened....it needs to be counted!

Thx. Becky

From: "Becky Ginn" <becky.ginn@hhsys.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 8, 2016 1:04:24 PM
Subject: Unit-dosing Controlled (C-2) drugs - new requirement at HH Main

Effective immediately:

When unopened/sealed bottles of C-2 drugs are to be unit dosed, the tablets/capsules are to be counted by a pharmacist and the unit-dose tech BEFORE unit-dosing. Both persons should witness breaking the seal and the counting of the other person so that there is agreement of the total count.

This is to protect each of us as we have had some recent instances of what we feel were full/unopened bottles that are short of the stated count. This is only required of C-2s, but techs may also request a count with a pharmacist for C-3 - C-5s as well.

Let me know if you have questions.

Thanks, Becky

--

Becky Ginn, Pharm.D.
Huntsville Hospital
Pharmacy Manager - Central Operations