Department of Pharmacy Policies & Procedures

Number: 5:30

Effective Date: October, 1984

Revisions: 4/93; 8/99; 6/05; 4/08

Reviewed: 9/09

Approval: October, 1999

Subject: CHARGE AND REPLACE SYSTEM

A. POLICY

The "Charge and Replace" concept is used to provide drug items that are frequently used in situations where time of administration is critical. This system is considered to be better than proliferating non-standard emergency boxes throughout the hospital. The decision to place an item or items on "Charge and Replace" rests with the Hospital Pharmacy Management staff and is determined by need and required response time. This stock is limited to non-ADM units and to clinic areas.  A physician must be present in the area and in control of the medication process as defined by the Joint Commission.

B. PROCEDURE

1.      A small supply of an item is stocked in the unit and/or area. The quantity stocked depends upon the normal usage rate.

2.      When the item is used in treatment of a patient, the nursing personnel label a charge ticket or patient encounter form with the patient's label.

3.      The charge ticket is sent to the pharmacy.

4.      The charge ticket is filled by the technician. The item is bagged and labeled with the unit and/or clinic name and "replacement".

5.      The filled and bagged order is checked by a pharmacist.

6.      The order is sent to the unit and/or clinic.

7.      The charge is entered as a "specialty charge" in the electronic medical record and the ticket is discarded.