Compounding

Compounding preparations is the process of scanning, weighing and allocating stock from a batch to a script. Compound Direct will ensure that the user always weighs the correct amount regardless which batch is being used and how many times they might use it.

Viewing a preparation

1. Go to the ‘Dispensed’ page.

2. Find your desired dispense record and click on it.

3. Click on the ‘View Preparation’ button to open the preparation page.

4. The system will take you to the preparation overview of the formulation to be made where you can view information including the name, quantity, wastage and more.

5. On the preparation page Click print to print a product label.

   • See Balances, printers & labeling tutorials for more information on creating a label.

6. If any ingredients are out of stock, an alert will be displayed to indicate that one or more of the ingredients are out of stock.

   1. Hover over an ingredients name to see the 'Quantity Needed' and the 'Total Stock on Hand'.

7. Under ‘Ingredients’ a list of ingredients in the preparation are shown including the quantity required and quantity used. The total preparation weight/volume is shown underneath.

   1. To rearrange the ingredients list, drag them by the menu icon. Or
   2. The list of ingredients can be reordered based on quantity required by clicking on ‘QTY REQUIRED’. For formulations which have compounding risk management steps the list of ingredients cannot be rearranged.
   • Formulations with a liquid base will show the QTY REQUIRED as a QS to total volume.

8. Click on the info icon to display the calculations being used and to see the stock on hand displayed as (open stock / total stock on hand).

   1. Calculations are performed automatically using adjustment factors, liquid densities, and packing statistics according to the settings selected.

9. Once an ingredient has been added the info will change to either.

   1. arrow_downward if the quantity used is below the quantity required.

   2. close if the quantity used is above the quantity required.

   3. check if the quantity used matches the quantity required within the chosen compounding accuracy tolerance.

      • See Pharmacy Workspace settings tutorial for more information on choosing your compounding accuracy tolerance.

   4. Once an ingredient has been added the calculations will be made based on the quantity used instead and can be viewed by clicking on the new icon.

   • The system dynamically changes calculations based on specific dosage form, ingredient batch and quantity values put into the system. Therefore, changing any of these values will alter the quantity required and potentially change the preparation.

10. Under ‘Batches Used’ a list of batches used to create the formulation will be displayed including the Quantity Used, Batch Expiry, user it was Added By and when it was added.

11. Under ‘Devices’ a list of devices linked to the dosage form selected are displayed.

    1. If there are not enough units of devices the quantity will be displayed as red and show how many out of the total have been added.
       • If the selected device has been approved for negative stock on hand, this alert will not appear.
    2. Click on the name of the device to view the overview page. Edit the variant units by clicking on the edit icon under ‘Quantity’ when new stock arrives.
    3. To fulfil the remainder of the units, click on the ‘+ Allocate Remainder’ to allocate new stock.

12. To edit devices for the preparation click on the ‘Edit Devices’ button.

    1. Edit the quantity or remove a device if necessary.
    2. To add another device click on the ‘Add Device’ button.
    • See Consumables tutorial for more information on how to add a new device.

13. Under 'Activity', type notes into the text field provided and click enter to add.

    1. A complete list of current ‘Notes’ will be displayed to everyone.
    2. Changes made to the preparation will also be recorded here.
    • For more information see the ‘General features of all notes’ tutorial.

14. Under ‘Files’ a list of files uploaded can be seen. To add a new file click ‘+ Upload File’ or drag a file into the space provided.

    • For more information see General features of all documents tutorial.

15. Lab Technician/Pharmacist should take any necessary preparation steps before proceeding with compounding.

16. Once ready click on the ‘Start Preparation’ button to begin compounding.

Compounding a preparation

1. Go to the ‘Dispensed’ page.

2. Find your desired script and click on it.

3. Click on the ‘View Preparation’ button to open the preparation page.

4. Click on the ‘Start Preparation’ button to begin compounding.

5. The system will open to the first ingredient in the formulation or to the first compounding step if one has been created.

6. A list of ingredients and any compounding risk management steps are shown on the side. Click ‘next’ / ‘previous’ or click on an ingredient to toggle between ingredients.

7. To automatically go to the next ingredient when compounding, toggle the "Automatic next' slider under ‘Options’.

8. When an ingredient is selected, the ‘Total SOH’, ‘Quantity’ required, ‘Volume’ in preparation and ‘Status’ are shown.

9. The current ideal batch is shown as default, including the stock on hand. To view a list of all batches with stock and see more batch details, click on the ‘Show more’ drop-down menu.

   1. To select a different batch to use, check the box for another batch.
   • See Editing an ingredient batch tutorial for more information on opening and approving a batch for use.

10. To view more information about a batch click on the more_vert icon and choose between.

    1. ‘Adjust stock level’ to quickly adjust the quantity of the stock to the correct amount and leave a note.
    2. ‘View Batch’ to go to the ingredient batch overview page.
    3. ‘View Ingredient’ to go to the ingredient overview page.
    4. ‘Close Batch’ to close the current batch and either retain remaining quantity or discard the remaining quantity.

11. Once a batch has been chosen for use, it must be confirmed by scanning the ingredients barcode. This can be done by:

    1. Scanning the barcode with a barcode scanner without clicking anything. Or

    2. Clicking on the ‘Scan Barcode’ button to open up the camera on the device to scan the ingredient. Or

    3. If you have a hand held barcode scanner connected to your computer or tablet you can scan at anytime. If you are on a tablet you may now scan using the device camera. Otherwise click on ‘Scan Barcode’ or manually ‘Enter lot number’ of the matching physical batch.

    • Only one ingredient can be confirmed at once hence, if another ingredient is selected and confirmed the previous ingredient must be reconfirmed. Confirmations only last 5 minutes and must be reconfirmed if this time lapses

12. If the incorrect ingredient is scanned, the system will notify that the expected ingredient lot cannot be found and to ensure you have scanned the correct ingredient.

13. If the correct ingredient is scanned however, an alternative batch lot is scanned than the one expected in the system, a 'Confirm Batch' pop-up will appear. The 'Currently selected' batch and the 'Lot Scanned' will be shown - if you wish to proceed with the alternate batch click on the 'Confirm' button.

14. Once the correct batch has been selected and scanned (matched), the ingredient can be weighed and recorded on the system.

15. The amount of ingredient required for the preparation is shown under ‘Amount Required’.

16. Ingredients weighed can be recorded in several ways:

    1. With a connected cloud balance: A live visual prompt will indicate if the quantity being weighed on the balance is below the amount required (grey), above the amount needed (red) or within the desired range of amount required. Click on the ‘Confirm’ button to save the weight on the balance to the system .

    • The system will default to the last selected balance on your device if one has been connected. See How do I connect a balance tutorial for more information on how to set up a balance

    1. Manually overriding a connected balance: Click on the drop-down menu with the balance name and select the ‘Skip weight, mark as added’ button to enter a weight manually.

    2. Manually without a connected balance: Click on the ‘Mark as Added’ button and enter a weight manually into the system. Click on the ‘Balance Settings’ button to go to the balance settings or see How do I connect a balance tutorial for more information on how to set up a balance.

    • You can view who added an ingredient and if the weight was added manually or by a balance in the preparation overview page under ‘Batches Used’. Ingredients weighed on a cloud balance will appear with a verified. The quantity added can also be seen in the ingredient batch history of use - see Editing an ingredient batch tutorial for more information.

17. Once an ingredient has been weighed, another batch can be selected and scanned for use if necessary. This may be useful if a batch doesn't have enough quantity to fulfil the requirements but another batch is ready to be used.

18. Other options are also seen once an ingredient has been weighed when you click on the more_vert icon of a batch, including:

    1. An option to ‘Record additional use’: This will result in a duplication of the batch being used to let you put in another entry. The system will calculate the quantity remaining to be added and display it under ‘Amount required’.

    • Recording additional use allows for ingredients to be weighed in multiple stages. This is often necessary when weighing large quantities of ingredients that exceed the balance maximum weight.
    1. ‘Reset’: This will allow you to remove a recorded ingredient weight. Then choose between returning uncontaminated stock, which is still viable for use, back into the stock on hand or discarding the contaminated stock as appropriate.

19. An icon will appear in the ingredient overview and under ‘Status’ once a weight has been recorded. Icons represent either:

    1. arrow_downward if the quantity used is below the quantity required.

    2. close if the quantity used is above the quantity required.

    3. check if the quantity used matches the quantity required within the chosen compounding accuracy tolerance.

    • See Workspace settings tutorial for more information on choosing your compounding accuracy tolerance

20. Once an ingredient has been correctly weighed, the next ingredient can be added.

21. After all ingredients have been successfully scanned and weighed, the system will confirm its completion with a ‘See Overview’ pop-up.

22. The pharmacist responsible for the final sign-off can now view and check all data on the dispensed script to make a decision to ‘Sign-off’ to complete the compound for release.

Compounding liquid preparations

1. Liquid preparations will show liquids in mL's and gram equivalents, compared to solid preparations which will show liquids in grams with a mL's equivalent.

2. Liquid preparations with a liquid base are expected to be QS to final volume.

3. Once the base ingredient batch is selected and scanned, a 'QS Liquid Ingredient' with a camera will appear.

4. You may either choose to take a photo of the meniscus to confirm or use the menu to 'Skip QS, mark as added'.

5. Fill your liquid base to the total volume shown under 'Fill to' up to the meniscus.

6. Take a photo of the meniscus with the camera then select the 'Mark as QS' button to confirm, or 'Re-take' button to re-take the photo.

7. Once marked as QS and all ingredients have been successfully scanned and added, the system will confirm its completion with a ‘See Overview’ pop-up.

8. The pharmacist responsible for the final sign-off can now view and check all data on the dispensed script and view a photo of the meniscus to make a decision to ‘Sign-off’ to complete the compound for release.