Equipping a hospital pharmacy is not just about dispensing pills. It is about designing a space that is smart, efficient, and safe. Whether you are launching a new pharmacy or upgrading an existing one, the right combination of medical equipment, casework, and shelving lays the foundation for everything from timely medication delivery to compounding life-saving treatments.
This post will offer practical considerations for planning and equipping a hospital pharmacy.
- Planning Your Hospital Pharmacy Layout
- Benefits of CAD for Planning and Layout
- Designing the Hospital Pharmacy Zones
- Layout Mistakes to Avoid
- Essential Equipment for Hospital Pharmacies
- Choosing a Pharmacy Equipment Distributor
But first, let’s review the unique needs and regulatory bodies associated with a hospital pharmacy.
Putting Hospital Pharmacy’s into the Big Picture of Acute Care
Unlike retail pharmacies, hospital pharmacies operate 24/7 to process urgent, high-volume, and often specialized medication requirements. Their infrastructure must support speed, precision, and continuous coordination with other departments, while simultaneously complying with a host of federal and state regulations.
Federal Pharmacy Regulatory Bodies
Food and Drug Administration (FDA): The FDA regulates the approval and classification of drugs and biologicals. It also oversees the manufacturing of compounded medications.
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA): The DEA regulates controlled substances through the Controlled Substances Act (CSA), which covers all aspects of manufacturing, ordering, storage, dispensing, and destruction of these substances.
Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA): HIPAA protects patient medical information and mandates privacy for patient data.
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): CMS sets Conditions of Participation (CoPs) that hospitals must meet to participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs. These CoPs include specific requirements for pharmaceutical services.
- 42 CFR § 482.25 - Pharmaceutical services: This regulation outlines the requirements for hospital pharmacies, including management, administration, and delivery of services to ensure patient safety.
- 42 CFR Part 485 Subpart E: This regulation focuses on conditions of participation for hospitals, including requirements for controlled substances security.
State Pharmacy Regulatory Bodies:
State Pharmacy Acts and Board of Pharmacy Regulations: Each state has its own pharmacy acts and board of pharmacy regulations that govern pharmacy operations, including licensing, scope of practice, medication storage, labeling, and safety.
State Controlled Substance Acts: Many states have their own controlled substance acts and regulations that may be more stringent than federal laws.
Additional Standards and Guidelines for Hospital Pharmacies:
Joint Commission: The Joint Commission provides performance guidelines to drive sustainable improvements in patient safety, quality, and operational reliability for pharmacies, including compliance with USP standards (like USP <795> and <797>).
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP): ASHP establishes standards and guidelines for pharmaceutical services in hospitals, such as the Minimum Standard for Pharmacies in Hospitals, which addresses areas like patient confidentiality, drug information, and medication safety.
United States Pharmacopeial Convention (USP): USP promulgates pharmacy practice procedures and official standards for drugs and drug testing.
Planning Your Hospital Pharmacy Layout
Every inch of the pharmacy should support a logical workflow - from receiving medications to storage, dispensing, and delivery. Safety protocols for hazardous drugs, contamination prevention, and temperature-sensitive medications must all be built into the layout.
A well-designed pharmacy layout should flow like a well-oiled machine. The goal? Minimize unnecessary steps for staff with clear pathways between workstations to reduce unnecessary movement and increase productivity.
Separate the pick-up areas from operational zones. That means clearly defining prescription drop-off/pick-up and back-of-house workflows.
Benefits of CAD for Planning and Layout
CAD (Computer-Aided Design) plays a significant role in supporting hospital pharmacies with precise planning and layout capabilities. Here is how:
- Efficient Space Utilization: CAD allows pharmacists and designers to optimize space for efficient workflow. It helps with the layout of essential equipment, storage casework and/or shelving, and workstations within the available area.\
- Customization: Hospital pharmacies often require customized design. CAD allows designers to create tailored layouts for specific requirements related to clean rooms, storage areas, or work counters.
- Visualization: CAD offers detailed 3D models and visualizations of the pharmacy layout before implementation. This helps stakeholders visualize the final design, make necessary adjustments, and confirm that the space is being used efficiently.
- Precision and Accuracy: With precise measurements and calculations CAD helps ensure pharmacy equipment, shelving, and storage units fit perfectly into the designated spaces.
- Integration with Equipment: CAD facilitates the integration of medical equipment within the pharmacy layout. Designers can plan where equipment like automated dispensing systems, refrigerators, and compounding stations will be placed, ensuring they are easily accessible and efficiently utilized.
- Compliance and Safety: CAD-based designs can help ensure safety standards and compliance requirements are incorporated early in the design process. These standards and requirements include proper ventilation, adequate lighting, and adherence to clean room protocols, all essential features for maintaining pharmaceutical excellence and safety.
Designing the Hospital Pharmacy Zones
Like medical exam rooms in clinics, hospital pharmacy space is typically divided into specific zones. These zones are designed to address workflow, contamination risk, and regulatory standards (like USP <797> and USP <800>).
Here are the key zones of a hospital pharmacy:
Pharmacy Storage Zones
This space is divided into multiple sub-zones based on medication type and requirements:
- General Storage: Non-refrigerated medications, supplies, and overstock.
- Refrigerated/Freezer Storage: For vaccines, biologics, and temperature-sensitive drugs.
- Drug Storage: Segregated, negative-pressure area for cytotoxic or hazardous medications (required by USP <800>).
- Controlled Substance Vault: Highly secure, access-controlled area for Schedule II-V drugs.
Pharmacy Compounding Zone
Custom medications are prepared in this specialized area.
Sterile Compounding Area (Cleanroom): For IVs, injectables, and other sterile preparations. Includes:
- Ante Room: Gowning, handwashing, and prep area.
- Buffer Room: Positive-pressure room for sterile compounding.
- Laminar Airflow Workbench (LAFW) or Biological Safety Cabinet (BSC): Equipment used under strict airflow conditions
Non-Sterile Compounding Area: For oral suspensions, topical creams, etc., not requiring sterility.
Pharmacy Dispensing Zone
In this section of the hospital pharmacy, medications are picked, labeled, and packed for delivery to patients or care units. Typically, this area is equipped with:
- automated dispensing machines or pharmacy workstation
- barcode verification systems
Clinical Verification/Order Review Zones in Hospital Pharmacies
Here pharmacists review medication orders, check for interactions, and perform clinical tasks at workstations commonly located ‘off the beaten’ track in more secluded areas.
Pharmaceutical Waste Disposal and Decontamination Zone
This zone is designed for the safe disposal of expired, unused, or hazardous drugs. Healthcare equipment for this space includes:
- sharps containers
- chemical waste bins
- segregated biohazard containers
Each of these zones is designed with workflow efficiency, staff safety, and regulatory compliance in mind. The layout ensures that cross-contamination is minimized, sensitive medications are stored appropriately, and pharmacists can work efficiently to support patient care.
Layout Mistakes to Avoid
- Overcrowding the Workspace - Less is more. Do not jam every inch with shelves - staff need room to move.
- Ignoring Scalability - Plan for growth. A bit of foresight now saves a full remodel later.
- Underestimating Storage Needs - You will always need more space than you think. Plan for overflow and seasonal surges.
Equipping a pharmacy is about more than just filling space - it is about creating a clean, efficient, compliant, and staff-friendly environment. With the right combination of essential medical equipment, smart casework, and adaptive shelving, you can turn even a small footprint into a high-functioning environment.
Essential Healthcare Equipment for Pharmacies
Hospital pharmacies are specialized environments. The equipment found in a hospital pharmacy supports a wide range of functions - from inventory management and sterile compounding to clinical review and medication distribution.
Here is a representative list of healthcare equipment commonly found in hospital pharmacies. It must be remembered that while there is some standardization across hospital pharmacies, the actual equipment may differ from facility to facility.
Medication Storage Equipment
Pharmacy Shelving is often modular and constructed of steel or polymer with antimicrobial coatings. Adjustable shelves for storing medications by category or frequency of use is an essential feature.
Locking Cabinets are the go-to for controlled substances and high-risk medications. These cabinets typically feature digital or keyed locks for secure access.
Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS) are robotic systems that help improve accuracy, reduce retrieval time, and save space.
Refrigerators and Freezers are used for temperature-sensitive drugs, vaccines, and biologics and often feature temperature logging and alarms for deviations.
Shop CME Corp. shelving, casework, refrigerators, and freezers
Compounding Equipment
Laminar Airflow Workbenches (LAFWs) are used for non-hazardous sterile compounding in an ISO Class 5 environment.
Biological Safety Cabinets (BSCs) are required for hazardous drug compounding under USP <800>.
Compounding Aseptic Isolators (CAIs) / Containment Isolators (CACIs) are closed systems that reduce contamination risk during sterile compounding.
Automated Compounding Devices (ACDs) ensure IV nutrition and medications are precisely mixed.
Find your Account Manager to start the conversation about compounding equipment
Dispensing and Packaging Equipment
Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs) dispense medications on-demand and help improve control and traceability in nursing units.
Pill Counters and Tablet Dispensers ensure speed and accuracy in counting solid oral medications.
Blister Packaging Machines are used for unit-dose packaging commonly required for inpatient care.
Label Printers and Barcode Scanners print patient-specific medication labels and assist with inventory tracking.
Click CHAT to talk with us about your dispensing and packaging equipment needs
Technology and Informatics Tools
Computer Workstations are necessary for pharmacist verification, order entry, and inventory control.
Pharmacy Management Software tracks medication use, manages inventory, and integrates with EHR systems.
Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA) Systems help ensure the "five rights": right patient, drug, dose, time, and route.
Shop CME for computer workstations
Cleanroom and Sterile Compounding Area Equipment
Cleanroom Furniture includes non-porous, easy to disinfect stainless steel tables, stools, and shelving.
Garbing Stations for gowning, gloving, and donning PPE before entering sterile areas.
Pass-Through Chambers are used to transfer medications and supplies without breaking cleanroom airflow.
Environmental Monitoring Equipment monitors air pressure, temperature, humidity, and particle counts.
Shop CME for stainless steel cleanroom furniture
Controlled Substance Management Equipment
Narcotic Safes are specialized heavy-duty safes for high-schedule medications that may include biometric access.
DEA-Compliant Inventory Systems track use, access, and reconciliation of controlled substances.
Hazardous Drug Handling Equipment
Negative Pressure Rooms are required for hazardous drug storage and compounding.
Closed-System Transfer Devices (CSTDs) are designed to prevent exposure when transferring hazardous drugs.
Specialized Waste Disposal Units used for cytotoxic, biohazard, and sharps waste. These specialized waste disposal units are often color-coded and sealed.
Administrative and Workflow Equipment
Desks and Workstations are used for clinical and administrative pharmacy tasks.
Mobile Medication Carts are essential for transporting meds to patient rooms or units and often feature lockable drawers.
Shop CME for medication carts
Casework for Pharmacies
Think of casework for pharmacies as built-in cabinetry designed specifically for healthcare environments. It is more durable and hygienic than residential cabinetry.
Modular systems are pre-built and flexible, while custom casework is tailored to your exact layout. Both have their benefits.
Key Features to Consider
- Durability - Medical-grade materials stand up to chemicals and wear-and-tear.
- Infection Control - Non-porous surfaces and seamless edges make cleaning a breeze.
- Configurability - Choose drawers, bins, pull-outs, and locking options based on your needs.
- Materials Used in Pharmacy Casework - Stainless steel, powder-coated metal, and high-pressure laminate (HPL) are gold standards.
More about casework for healthcare environments
Shelving Options for Pharmacies
Adjustable Shelving Systems: These make it easy to reorganize stock as your inventory changes. Wire shelving offers ventilation, while solid shelving adds stability.
Controlled Substance Storage: Lockable shelves and DEA-compliant safes are necessary. Keep narcotics under double lock and key.
High-Density Shelving Units: Perfect for back rooms where space is tight. Mobile shelving can double or triple your usable storage area.
Ergonomic Considerations: Shelving that is too high or too deep slows things down. Aim for chest-height accessibility and smooth-slide drawers.
Click CHAT to begin the conversation about designing and laying out shelving for your pharmacy
Choosing an Equipment Supplier
Seek out healthcare equipment distributors who specialize in equipment used in healthcare and offer in-house value-added services. A top-tier distributor should be able to help with the layout, delivery, and setup.
Whether you are starting from scratch or refreshing a tired layout, choose a healthcare equipment supplier who will help you plan with intention. Think workflow, think compliance, think future-proof, and think CME Corp.
Partner with CME Corp. to Layout and Equip Hospital Pharmacies
As the United States’ largest specialty distributor solely focused on equipment used in healthcare, we have built long term relationships with industry leading manufacturers and can help equip hospital pharmacies with everything from the casework and shelving to all the standard and specialty medical equipment required for efficiency and compliance.
Our expert account managers will work with you and the manufacturers’ representatives to layout and equip pharmacies with devices and storage tailored to the needs of the staff, available space, and budget.
Complementing CME’s expert focus on equipment used in healthcare are CAD based design and layout, project management, direct-to-site delivery, and biomedical services. We are the only medical equipment distributor nationwide, able to say we are truly a one-stop shop.
Direct-To-Site Logistics and Delivery Services
In addition to delivering medical equipment fully assembled, right to the pharmacy, when it is convenient for staff, our in-house Direct-to-Site services teams will install equipment, like shelving systems, refrigeration, freezer units, and fume hoods so they are ready for immediate use.
Biomedical Services
Our in-house Biomedical Equipment Technicians (BMETs) can support facility biomed teams by performing scheduled annual preventive maintenance on critical equipment as well as perform check-in assessments on new devices.
Click CHAT to start the conversation about equipping your in-house pharmacy.
Find your account manager and learn how CME equipment expertise and value-added services can help you equip your facility with the healthcare equipment you need and keep you in budget.
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FAQs
What is the most important pharmacy equipment to buy first?
Start with refrigeration units, pill counters, and labeling tools—these support core operations right away.
How can I secure my pharmacy against theft?
Use lockable cabinetry, biometric safes, and surveillance. Install DEA-compliant storage for narcotics.
Are modular casework systems valuable for pharmacies?
Yes - especially for growing pharmacies. They are easy to rearrange and scale as needed.
How do I meet state pharmacy board standards?
Consult your state board's guidelines and work with vendors familiar with pharmacy regulations.
Can I retrofit my current pharmacy space with better shelving?
Absolutely. Look for adjustable or mobile shelving systems that can be integrated into existing setups.
About CME: CME Corp is the nation’s premier source for healthcare equipment, turnkey logistics, and biomedical services, representing 2 million+ products from more than 2,000 manufacturers. With 24 locations strategically positioned across the country and increasing, we are readily accessible to our customers. Our mission is to help healthcare facilities nationwide reduce the cost of the equipment they purchase, make their equipment specification, delivery, installation, and maintenance processes more efficient, and help them seamlessly launch, renovate and expand on schedule.
