Number:

Department of Pharmacy Policies & Procedures

Number:    6:09

Effective Date: Jan. 1989

Revisions:    10/96

Approval:   10/96

Subject: LOANING AND BORROWING DRUG ITEMS

POLICY

The pharmacy department has informal agreements with the hospital pharmacy departments or other hospitals in the Little Rock area for the loan or borrowing of small supplies of drug items when the need arises. Drugs are borrowed in the smallest quantity needed to meet patient requirements until a supply can be obtained through normal channels. Borrowed drug items must meet UAMS criteria for product integrity.

B. PROCEDURE

1. Loaning a Drug to Another Hospital

    a. A pharmacist will handle the contact with the other hospital to verify the identity of the borrower.

    b. A check of available stock of the item requested will be made. The needs of UAMS patients must first be met. If supplies are sufficient ,the agreement can be made.

    c. A "Drug Loan Transaction Form" is prepared by the employee handling the transaction. The white copy is given to Pharmacy Supply and the yellow and pink copies are sent with the drug.

    d. The drug and the sheet are placed in a bag and the name of the borrowing hospital marked on the bag.

    e. The bag is stored in the supply department during the normal weekday hours of operation or on the counter near the call window in the dispensing area after normal daytime hours.

    f. The borrowing hospital will provide the pick-up service. The person receiving the item must identify himself and the hospital for whom they are providing the service. Taxi drivers may be used if the borrowing hospital advises of this transport in the contact.

2. Borrowing A Drug From Another Hospital

    a. A pharmacist or the pharmacy purchasing assistant will contact a hospital with whom there is an agreement.

    b. The smallest quantity needed to meet patient requirements will be borrowed.

    c. The contract courier service will be dispatched to pick up the item and bring it to the hospital pharmacy

    d. The package will be inspected upon receipt to assure that it is unopened, within the expiration dating , and that the material does not appear to be deteriorated.

    e. The yellow and pink copies of the Drug Load Transaction Form received with the drug will be given to the Supply Department.

3. Reconciling the Loan and Borrow Transactions

    a. All items borrowed will be repaid by the 10^th of the month following the transaction.

b. The drug(s) borrowed are returned with the pink copies of the Drug Loan Transaction Form.

    c. The yellow copy of the form is retained as a record of the transaction.

    d. When receiving returned items, the pink copy is matched with the white copy to complete the transaction.

    e. In cases where repayment in kind is not possible, a substitute drug agreed on by both borrower and lender will be returned.