Deck 18: Operations Management in the Pharmacy

Question 1

Hospital pharmacies operate under the regulatory purview of state agencies only.

Answer 1

False
There are a number of laws and regulations governing pharmacies, such as those set in place by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), the FDA, the National Association of State Boards of Pharmacy, and many others

Question 2

The terms "Controlled Drugs" and "Scheduled Drugs" mean the same thing due to the potential of misuse and abuse.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Pharmaceuticals are organized under a coding system known as the National Diagnostic Classification.

Answer 3

False
The national drug code (NDC) is an industry identifier created in 1969 by the FDA to provide a comprehensive listing of all approved drugs. The NDC is a 10-digit identification number assigned by the FDA to all commercialized products, which helps uniquely identify the manufacturer or labeler of the product, the specific product, and the packaging type.

Question 4

The square root law of inventory says that total costs will decrease as the number of stocking points increases, since having more stocking points places supplies closer to the point of care.

Question 5

Integration of computer systems such as CPOE and EMR improves internal controls over pharmaceuticals.

Question 6

Forward positioning refers to the placement of medications in medication dispensing devices near the point of use, based on forecasted needs.

Question 7

Characteristics of the national drug code (NDC) include which of the following?

A) The NDC is a five digit classification that includes the chemical composition, dose, and route of administration
B) NDC codes are assigned by CMS using diagnostic applications of a drug
C) The NDC identifies the manufacturer or labeler of the product, the specific product, and the packaging type
D) NDC codes are not usable with bar code scanning technologies

Question 8

How many different schedules are used to classify pharmaceuticals as to their risk of misuse and abuse?

A) 3
B) 4
C) 5
D) 7

Question 9

Key trends in pharmacy management include:

A) Periodic inventory
B) Strategic pricing analysis
C) Network expansion
D) Increasing cycle times

Question 10

Which of the following represents the correct way to calculate Total Days of Inventory on Hand?

A) Average inventory balance / average daily pharmacy expense
B) Average daily pharmacy expense/average inventory balance
C) Number of errors/ the total number of orders filled
D) Number of orders filled / the total number of errors

Question 11

Which of the following represents the correct way to calculate Percent of Inaccurate Orders?

A) Average inventory balance /average daily pharmacy expense
B) Average daily pharmacy expense / average inventory balance
C) Number of errors / the total number of orders filled
D) Number of orders filled / the total number of errors

Question 12

Describe the various ways that a hospital administrator can evaluate pharmacy performance.

Question 13

Describe the steps in the process of delivering medications to patients.