Ordering, storage, supply and incident notification of cosmetic drugs

This article provides an overview of the systems and processes aesthetic clinics must follow when dispensing prescription medications.

A drug or prescription drug legally requires that a qualified doctor, dentist, nurse or pharmacist write a prescription for a given patient. Drug list and prescription qualifications may vary in different countries.

A cosmetic clinic must ensure that all medications are ordered, stored and dispensed within available legislative and other relevant pharmaceutical guidelines.

Therefore, the ordering, storage, and dispensing of medications for use within the practice must be done in accordance with appropriate procedures and guidelines to ensure that all relevant legislation and pharmaceutical information are complied with.

All medications stocked in a typical cosmetic clinic are those used for cosmetic purposes, this includes medications such as Botox ® and hyaluronidase. These should be stored according to the manufacturer’s guidelines in a locked refrigerator or locked cabinet, as appropriate. The temperature of the refrigerator must be monitored and documented daily. If the temperature is found to be outside the recommended range, the pharmacy provider should be informed as soon as possible and, if necessary, the medications returned to the provider and a new supply obtained.

Supply of Medications and Maintenance of Patient Records for Aesthetic Clinics

The Practicing Physician is responsible for maintaining a record of medications obtained from the provider for use during treatment. A copy of the prescription is kept in the patient’s file and the following information is recorded in the IN Medication record. The medical practitioner must include the following information:

– the name of the medicine (generic)

– the dose provided by the pharmacy

– the amount provided by the pharmacy

– the format of the medicine (oral IIM etc)

– lot numbers and expiration dates

The medical practitioner is responsible for ensuring that details of medications administered are recorded in patient notes, including:

– the name of the medicine (generic)

– the dose provided

– the route of administration

– the batch number and expiration date of the medicine

– the date and time of administration

The Practicing Physician must also document in the Medication OUT record the name of the patient to whom the medication was administered and the date and time of administration. This will ensure that an audit trail is available for each professional.

All unused or expired medications must be returned to the pharmacy.

In conclusion, only a medical professional should be accepted into a cosmetic training course. This will ensure that all practitioners are experienced in prescription drug use and record keeping. The physician facilitating a cosmetic procedure must be a licensed physician, dentist, nurse, or pharmacist. These specialists have the necessary medical expertise as well as understand your legal and ethical requirements in the prescription, dispensing and administration of such medications.

Any medication error should be recorded and reported.

Medication Incident Report

A cosmetic clinic must ensure that all drug-related incidents follow local and other legislative guidelines for their country of practice. The following is based in the UK QCC guidelines.

All professionals involved in the prescription, dispensing or administration of medications must be aware of the procedures to follow in the event of a medication error or near miss.

Medication errors or near misses will occur despite having risky procedures in place, and all personnel involved in prescribing, dispensing or administering medications are at risk of being involved in an error or near miss. Because of this, full reporting of all medication-related incidents is essential to enable the organization to learn from mistakes and improve practice wherever possible.

All incidents involving the prescription, dispensing, or administration of medications, “near misses,” and serious drug reactions must be documented on the Incident Report Form. A medication error is a preventable incident or omission that results in an increased risk of harm to the patient. A ‘near miss’ is a medication error that is discovered before it reaches the patient, thus preventing harm to the patient.

what to report

The following are some of the issues that require an incident report:

– incorrect dose administered (both above and below dose)

– wrong route of administration

– incorrect administration speed

– drug administered incorrectly

– wrong patient administration

– failure to document administration in the patient’s medical record

– administration of an expired medication

– prescription errors

– incorrect labels

– unregistered allergies

– serious side effects, including allergic reactions

Near misses will also be recorded on the Incident Report form.

How to report medication errors

Medication errors involving administration to a patient will be documented in the patient’s notes. The medical practitioner must inform the patient.

The incident must be fully documented before the end of the day. This reporting form must be completed by the physician and provided to the practice administrator without delay.

Follow-up procedures for medication errors

The medical practitioner follows up to ensure patient safety. If necessary, the patient should be referred to the nearest emergency room for further review. The Practice Manager should undertake an investigation into the event ensuring a statement is taken from those involved.

The incident should be discussed at the next Clinical Governance meeting and an action plan should be developed to prevent recurrence; this may include additional training for the staff involved.

Any serious medication incident must be reported within 24 hours of its occurrence.

I hope you have enjoyed the article. For more information on medicines and their regulations, you can consult the Department of Health and MRHA in the United Kingdom. In the US, see the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).