For various reasons, it is very important to maintain various legal, financial and professional records in a community pharmacy. The type of records required in a community pharmacy may be classified as following:
Legal records (registers):
According to federal and state law, the pharmacy owner (manager) is responsible
for the maintenance of accurate up-to-date records of specific classes of drugs
and poisons according to the Drugs and Cosmetic Act 1940. As per the Drugs and Cosmetics
rule, 1945, and the Poison act 1919, the pharmacist is responsible for
maintaining accurate records related to the acquisition and disposition of
certain drugs that are supposed to be subject to possible misuse or abuse.
According to law, it is required to maintain a record of the distribution of
poison and hazardous substances. Improperly maintained or incomplete records
can bring legal action and penalties.
Patient’s records:
To include patient's drug histories, those types of records are maintained,
although the format of records may vary according to basic ideas of
establishing a record. Records may be based on a family unit basis that allows
the pharmacist to monitor the drug usage of each member of the family. It
provides basic information about the kinds and amounts of drugs being taken by average
patients, which helps in reducing the problems associated with drug
interactions and individual idiosyncrasies to drugs. These records also serve economic
purposes, as a source of information for insurance claims and an income tax deduction
of the patients.
Financial records:
Properly collect and organized accounting data serves various important uses
as:
• Serves as a basic tool for efficient management and measuring its effect.
• For making sound decisions regarding future money
needs, inventory requirements, personnel matters, and expansion of
facilities.
• In the evaluation of past operations, controlling
current operations, and providing information for planning and
forecasting.
• Analyzing revenues and expenses & measuring
return on investment.
• Providing the required information to credit and
loans regarding income and business taxes.
• Helping to ensure a profitable operation.