Pharmacy

The Pharmacy Services Operational Plan addresses issues of pharmaceutical management in ACFs in support of a disaster or times of anticipated high risk events. The default pharmaceutical operational processes in ACFs attempt to emulate standard pharmaceutical practices in usual healthcare settings. However, the nature of establishing healthcare delivery in transient settings (i.e. ACFs) warrants the realization that the care environment will not be ideal.

Pharmaceutical management within ACFs should be guided by policies and procedures specific to the ACF setting. Pharmacy services for ACFs are unique from those within points of distribution (PODs) or medication/vaccination centers as ACFs provide urgent and inpatient care whereas PODs are for the mass distribution or administration of pharmaceuticals or vaccines for prophylaxis or treatment. Mass vaccination or mass dispensing activities that occur within points of distribution or medication centers follow separate pharmaceutical operations.