THE PHYSICAL PLANTS

AND
ITS EQUIPMENT
 Introduction:
The term “physical plant” refers to the necessary infrastructure used in the support and
maintenance of a given facility.

The physical plant of the pharmacy department is responsible for the renovation, maintenance,
repair and operation of facilities.
Its Data Consist of:
Location

Floor Space
Equipment

Areas and rooms

Refrigeration

Storage Facilities
General utilities
 The Hospital Pharmacist should be acquainted with the
overall planning process. It consists of three parts:
1) Master planning: which sets forth goals and objectives
2) Functional Planning: which specifies the operational
demands and equipment planning.
3) Architectural planning: which translates these into
physical space, equipment and furnishings.
 Points To Be Considered:
 Pharmacy Objectives and Plan of Operation
 Functions to be Performed
 Workflow and Procedures
 Workload
 Work areas needed
 Personnel in each work area
 Space, shape, furniture, equipment, services needed in each work area
 Inter-relationship between work areas and pharmacy and between other
departments.
 LOCATION:
It should be conveniently placed to provide services to all
departments and personnel.
Easily accessible to inpatients and outpatients
It must be immediately adjacent to OPD.
To provide services to the number of departments of hospital and all
nursing stations, pharmacy should be located on 1st floor, in the
centre of activities it is called upon to service frequently.
The convenience of provision of services, easy accessibility by
both in and our patients are required for rendering of efficient
pharmacy services and conserve man hours.
Not in basement
Concept of “Satellite Pharmacies” is being adopted.
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Satellite pharmacy/ sub-pharmacies

Hospital in which all the inpatient clinical departments are not in close vicinity of
pharmacy department, concept of satellite pharmacy/sub pharmacies can be implemented.
Subsection of main pharmacy can be established in the adjacent area of each clinical
service.
Sub-pharmacies are direct under the control of main pharmacy.
Number of sub-pharmacies depends on the diversity of clinical services and distance of
each service from main pharmacy
Advantage of this concept of being able to respond to clinical needs of patient on current
basis.
System will enable the pharmacist to provide pharmaceutical services to patient, physician,
nurses in clinical capacity rather than just dispenser of medications.
By being on nursing floor pharmacist is available for taking of patient drug history,
maintaining patient drug profile, observing patient for drug reactions and toxicity, dispensing
unit doses and IV products with additives.
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Floor space
 Method of space allocation to a floor is based on number of beds, number of
services, workload of outpatients.
 Space requirement of hospital pharmacy is dictated by following factors
1. Degree or scope of service rendered
2. Type of equipment used in program
3. Expected future expansion
 Area is measured in square foot or square meter but exclusive of walls and
partitions.
 Floor space is required for:
1. Cleanup area
2. Non sterile mixing and filling room
3. Prepackaging area
4. Injection reconstitution area
5. Labeling and inspection room
6. Quarantine storage area
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1. Cleanup area
 Is the demand of pharmacy involved in
compounding or maufacturing of
extemporaneous preparations
 Desire-able features of cleanup area include:
appropriately located pass through window and
floor area with floor drain
 Cleanup room shared by central sterile supply
room and pharmacy is the most efficient
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2. Non sterile mixing and filling

room
 This area is specified for mixing and filling of non
sterile extemporaneous preparations
 In this, mixing and filling of liquids must be
separated from that of ointments, through both may
be in the same room
 In this area, beside mixing and stirring, the provision of
weighing, homogenization, filtration and filling should
be made
 Adequate space must be provided for storage purpose
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3. Prepackaging area
 Area in pharmacy for packaging of oral solid
dosage forms into containers is called
prepackaging area.
 If the space is available at extemporaneous
preparation area, packaging can be
accomplished in this area.
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4.Injection reconstitution area

 Is a place for addition of water for injection for
powdered injectables
 This area must be equipped with adequate number
of laminar flow hoods (horizontal, vertical)
depending upon the product handled for aseptic
handling of injectables and process of
reconstitution
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5. Labeling and inspection room

 Labeling and inspection room of hospital pharmacy-
manufactured product is to be located adjacent to
filling areas, separated by pass through window.
 This pass through window is used for transfer of
unlabeled products to eliminate any possibility of their
premature usage
 At this area sufficient storage space must be available
for labels, printing machine accessories, forms etc.
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6. Quarantine storage area

 Isan area where the manufactured or filled
products in the pharmacy are detained until
declared pass the chemical and biological quality
control testing.
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TEMPERATURE
CONTROLLED STORAGE
FACILITIES
 Hospital pharmacist are well aware of the need for
air conditioning and temperature control in
hospital pharmacy.
 Storage requirements of drug are imp stability
factor for them.
 Drug storage requirements are any one of the
following:-
 Refrigerator: is cold place providing a temp b/w
2°C to 8°C
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 Cold space: temperature not exceeding 8°C

 Cool space: temperature range is 8°C to 15°C
 Room temperature: temp is b/w 15°C to 30°C
 Excessive heat: temp above 40°C. this temp is forbidden for various drugs by
mentioning avoid excessive heat. Which means that drug must not be exposed to
temp above 40°C.
 Drug storage and safety is responsibility of pharmacist so pharmacist must ensure
availability of appropriate storage facilities respective to each drugs.
 In large hospital refrigerator is too small to accommodate the inventory requiring
refrigerator. The workable alternative are the purchase of additional refrigerator or
borrowing refrigerator facility of other department: (this is not safe because lack of
control over drugs stored in area other than pharmacy)
 An innovative approach is the construction of cold room.
 Cold room is artificially cooled area with regulated temp of 12°C to 15°C
 Cold room is economical and provide convinient method of cold storage of drugs
within pharmacy or at area other than pharmacy but under control of pharmacy
department.
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Feature of cold room:-

1.Wall of room may be constructed of concrete, concrete blocks or
bricks
2.Door should fit tightly, be no larger than necessary, and be provided
with good automatic closer.
3.Window in cold room are double paned and sealed against the
outside atmosphere.
4.Switch controlling the light fixture is to be on the outside wall
nearest the entrance to the room
5. an electric motor-driven air cooled Freon compressor unit with a
remote blower type cooling coil is needed to provide necessary
refrigeration. this unit is installed with thermostat and expansion valve
requiring to maintain desired temp range.
6.Blower is mounted in cold room. To it, a small waste line is installed
to drain away the condensate, which collects on the refrigerator coil.
Compressor may be installed outside of the cold room in order to
conserve space within.
7.Room can be equipped with necessary shelving, storage binds,
cabinets, work bench
Environmental Controlled Facility- VENTILATION:
Adequate ventilation should be provided to ensure comfort of the patients,
personnel and public. Air-conditioning is a desirable feature because:
1.It provide ventilation even when windows and doors are close. Opening of
window and doors is associated with entrance of dirt, dust and other
environmental contaminants.
2.The use of various autoclaves, steam jacketed kettles and ovens may
render the working environment TOO HOT.
3.Permits the maintenance of temperature compatible with official storage
requirements for drugs irrespective of climatic conditions
4.Removes strong odors of various chemicals
5.Since doors and windows can be kept closed, there can be effected a saving
in the cost of housekeeping service in the pharmacy
EQUIPMENT:

The necessary equipment should be available. Who’s

responsibility is it?
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 Purchasing agent usually purchases commonly used

equipment's in daily professional practice after
consulting with pharmacist
 Equipment planning will largely dependent on
number, varities, and per day duration of services.
Example; if hospital pharmacy plan to offer
radiopharmaceutical services, it must have equipment
for safe handling, dispensing of radioisotope, Qc
equipment, radiation measuring instruments.
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Parameters
The following are the parameters which will dictate equipment planning:-
 Service options: inpatient services, outpatient services, bulk compounding, packaging, DI,
research program, pharmacy education, PCC, night emergency service
 Choice of internal activities: type of distribution system, filling of order, delivery of order
to nursing station, maintenance of medical profile
 Workload and workflow: equipment planning will require determination of workload and
workflow in department
 Automation: degree of automation required and location where it is required
 Work area: space requirements for administrative offices, officers offices, other work area
 Ways of communication and transport: number of telephone/fax required, internet etc
 Environmental control requirements: types of temp, humidity controls, aseptic
environment
 Other factors: volume of dispensing, peak dispensing hours, number of nursing stations,
other departments to be served
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Equipment selection criteria

 Efficientprovision of service
 Affordable operating cost
 Requiring minimal maintenance
 Offering maximum safe performance
 Types Of Equipment:
Fixed equipment – which require
installation and become attached to
building. Examples included are
cabinets, counters, sinks, elevators,
dumb-waiters, etc.
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Moveable equipment - which are
capable of being moved and are
not permanently fixed to the
building. Examples included are
carts, desks, balances, mixers,
etc.
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OTHER UTILITIES

 ElectricalLighting and Service

 Transport system
 Plumbing
 Finishes
 OTHER UTILITIES
Electrical Lighting and Service:
Essential for proper functioning

of pharmacy.
Based on characteristics of

operation , location, environment.

Sufficient lighting should be provided

for critical work areas like dispensing

area, manufacturing area, IV admixture
area, etc.
Voltage requirement.
 Transport system:- Conveyor and Pneumatic Tube Systems:
Means of transport for nearly
all items from pharmacy to its
hospital destination.
  Plumbing: The plans will properly specify:
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Acid- resistant piping  Adequate hot and cold water

mixing valves

Distilled water lines and faucets

 Stainless or soapstone sinks
 FINISHES:
 Work Counters:
 Stainless steel or some other material
 Material should not show peeling, distortion, erosion, sticking,
etc.
 Used for writing, dispensing, counting of drugs etc.
 Floors:
 Should be smooth but not
slippery, stain-resistant
 Floor covering used: asphalt tile,
vinyl, rubber and heavy-duty linoleum.
 Carpets are also used
 Floor of manufacturing and
parenteral rooms should be supplied with
Covered drain system
 Walls:
 Should be painted with a material which permits periodic washing
without loosing its original color.

 In the manufacturing and parenteral solutions rooms, ceramic tile or

other comparable material should be utilized.
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Thank You