Controlling Your Samples
Patients may welcome the “gifts” of samples you’ve received from drug reps,
but your supply requires ongoing attention to avoid potential problems.
The following suggestions can help you keep your inflow and outflow of drug
samples under control.
Know the Rules
Whatever arrangements you make for safe storage and proper dispensing of
samples, meeting your state’s requirements is essential. Check with the
state medical society if you need to confirm the specific rules that apply
to your practice.
Organize
To avoid the possibility of dispensing expired drugs, periodically review
your entire supply. Pull and safely dispose of any drugs with old expiration
dates. For ease of dispensing, keep the remaining supply organized in a way
that suits your usage patterns. Arrange items for convenient access and take
care to separate drugs with similar names or different tablet sizes.
Also consider setting aside a secure holding area for new samples. Your
shelves can then be stocked from the holding supply as time permits.
Protect
Reconfirm that your drug cabinet or closet is secure. You’ll want to keep it
locked after office hours and allow limited access at all other times.
Records of Distributions
Keeping a paper or electronic log in and log out of all medications
(including the patient’s and prescriber’s names, medication, quantity, lot
number and expiration date) will greatly facilitate notifying your patients
if there is ever a recall. By systematically recording all sample
distributions, you also create a control against the disappearance of
medications that could be abused.
Dosage Instructions
The educational inserts packed with samples may not contain specific dosage
information. Rather than rely on verbal instructions, you may want to
provide the written equivalent of a prescription bottle label with the
samples you dispense.
Health Care Commentaries is
provided by Somerset’s
Health Care Team
for our clients and other interested persons upon request. Since
technical information is presented in generalized fashion, no final
conclusion on these topics should be made without further review. For
additional information on the issues discussed, please contact a member
of our Health Care Team. This
document is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for
the purpose of avoiding tax penalties that may be imposed on the
taxpayer.
Somerset CPAs,
P.C.
3925 River Crossing Parkway, Third Floor
Indianapolis, Indiana 46240
317.472.2200 • 800.469.7206 • FAX 317.208.1200
www.somersetcpas.com
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