Perform Pharmacy Inspection using eAuditor
A Pharmacy Inspection is a systematic evaluation of a pharmacy’s operations, facilities, and practices to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements, professional standards, and internal policies. The inspection aims to verify the safe handling, storage, and dispensing of medications, proper documentation, staff competence, cleanliness, and overall operational efficiency.
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Purpose of Pharmacy Inspection Using eAuditor
The purpose of performing a Pharmacy Inspection using eAuditor is to assess the pharmacy’s overall compliance with regulatory requirements, internal policies, and professional standards. This includes evaluating medication management, inventory control, prescription accuracy, staff competence, cleanliness, safety, and documentation practices. eAuditor provides structured checklists, photographic evidence, condition ratings, and automated corrective action tracking to ensure consistent, auditable, and actionable inspections.
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Scope of Inspection
The inspection covers the following areas:
- Regulatory Compliance: Verification of licenses, certifications, and adherence to laws and professional standards.
- Medication Management: Procurement, storage, dispensing, labeling, and expiration date monitoring.
- Inventory Control: Physical vs. recorded stock reconciliation, storage conditions, and prevention of shortages or overstock.
- Prescription Accuracy: Correct processing, labeling, and documentation of prescriptions.
- Financial & Administrative Controls: Billing, invoicing, and cash handling procedures.
- Staff Competence & Training: Verification of qualifications, training records, and adherence to SOPs.
- Safety & Security: Controlled substance management, storage security, and safety protocols.
- Cleanliness & Hygiene: Inspection of pharmacy areas, equipment, and adherence to cleaning protocols.
- Documentation & Recordkeeping: Maintenance of prescriptions, logs, audit trails, and cleaning records.
The inspection involves visual checks, document review, staff interviews, and verification of operational procedures.
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Detailed Step-by-Step Pharmacy Inspection Using eAuditor
3.1. Pre-Inspection Setup
- Load the Pharmacy Inspection template in eAuditor.
- Ensure sections cover compliance, medication management, inventory, prescriptions, financial controls, staff, safety, hygiene, and documentation.
- Enable photo attachments, GPS tagging, timestamps, offline mode, and digital signatures.
- Assign the inspection to the pharmacy manager, compliance officer, or designated auditor.
3.2. Regulatory Compliance Check
- Verify current licenses, certifications, and permits.
- Review adherence to local and national laws, and professional standards.
- Document non-compliance or gaps and assign corrective actions.
3.3. Medication Management Assessment
- Inspect procurement records, storage, labeling, and segregation of expired or recalled medications.
- Verify proper handling during dispensing and storage.
- Record deficiencies and corrective measures.
3.4. Inventory Control Review
- Reconcile physical inventory with records.
- Verify storage conditions (temperature, humidity, security).
- Identify overstock or shortages and assign corrective actions.
3.5. Prescription Accuracy Verification
- Review prescription processing, labeling, and documentation.
- Ensure correct dosage, instructions, and patient information.
- Document errors or potential risks and assign corrective measures.
3.6. Financial & Administrative Controls
- Review billing, invoicing, and cash handling procedures.
- Verify accuracy and detect discrepancies.
- Document findings and assign corrective actions.
3.7. Staff Competence & Training
- Verify qualifications and ongoing training of pharmacists and technicians.
- Ensure staff adhere to SOPs and regulatory requirements.
- Document training gaps and assign corrective measures.
3.8. Safety & Security
- Inspect storage and handling of controlled substances.
- Verify compliance with safety protocols, including emergency preparedness.
- Record deficiencies and assign corrective actions.
3.9. Cleanliness & Hygiene
- Inspect floors, surfaces, storage areas, and equipment for cleanliness.
- Verify adherence to cleaning protocols and infection-control standards.
- Document deficiencies and corrective measures.
3.10. Documentation & Recordkeeping
- Inspect prescription logs, controlled substance records, cleaning logs, and audit trails.
- Verify accuracy, completeness, and timely updates.
- Document gaps and assign corrective actions.
3.11. Final Walk-Through & Overall Assessment
- Review all previously identified deficiencies.
- Assess overall compliance, operational efficiency, and safety.
- Capture final notes, attach photos, and collect digital sign-off from the auditor or supervising personnel.
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Digital Workflow in eAuditor
4.1. Real-Time Data Capture
- Complete checklist items, condition ratings, and observations during the inspection.
- Attach photos of medications, storage, equipment, and areas inspected.
- Tag deficiencies for follow-up.
4.2. Automated Corrective Actions
- Convert identified gaps into actionable tasks with assigned personnel and deadlines.
- Track completion and effectiveness of corrective actions within eAuditor.
- Monitor recurring issues for preventive planning.
4.3. Instant Report Generation
- Generate a comprehensive inspection report including condition ratings, photos, observations, and sign-offs.
- Share digitally with pharmacy management, quality assurance teams, or regulatory auditors.
- Store reports securely for audits, compliance verification, and historical tracking.
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Post-Inspection Analysis
5.1. Trend Identification
- Identify recurring operational or compliance issues.
- Highlight high-risk areas needing targeted interventions.
5.2. Compliance Monitoring
- Track completion of corrective actions and adherence to standards.
- Maintain records for internal audits and regulatory verification.
5.3. Preventive Planning
- Implement improvements in medication handling, inventory management, staff training, and safety protocols.
- Monitor effectiveness to ensure continuous quality improvement.
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Summary
The Pharmacy Inspection using eAuditor provides a structured evaluation of regulatory compliance, medication management, inventory, prescriptions, financial controls, staff competence, safety, cleanliness, and documentation. Detailed checklists, photographic evidence, condition ratings, and automated corrective action tracking ensure efficient, safe, and compliant pharmacy operations.