Community Pharmacy Policy and Procedures: Accounting and Finance System

Objectives: This paper is dedicated to shedding light on the pivotal role of the Accounting and Finance policy in community pharmacy practice, a significant and transformative initiative in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A narrative review of pharmacy Accounting and Finance policy and procedures in community pharmacy were conducted. The process involved thorough literature searches in databases such as PubMed, Medline and Google Scholar, covering specific Accounting and Finance policies and procedures in pharmacy practice from the 1960s to October 2021. The search was conducted in English and included narrative reviews, systemic reviews, Meta-analyses and guidelines. All community pharmacy services were encompassed in the search term, along with local and international guidelines of general accounting and Finance in hospital practice. The pharmacy Accounting and Finance committee was meticulously formulated, comprising various expert members including community pharmacists, clinical pharmacists and clinical Accounting and Finance specialists. The policy draft was prepared by one member, reviewed and corrected by the second member and then revised by an accounting and finance specialist. The focus of the research was on the community Pharmacy Accounting and Finance policy and procedures. Results: The community Pharmacy Accounting and Finance policy and procedures comprise various items. These include the accounting cycle, financial position statements, income statements, cash flow statements, managerial accounting, feasibility analysis, pharmacy medication and goods pricing and Accounting and Finance software and applications. Conclusion: The community pharmacy Accounting and Finance policy is a new initiative that promises to significantly enhance the community’s pharmaceutical care performance. The policy and procedures of Accounting and Finance in community practice, which include continuously developing position statements and budgeting, exploring income and expenses of medication and goods and controlling inventory management, are designed to optimize financial management and decision-making. Therefore, the community pharmacy policy and procedures of Accounting and Finance are not just crucial, but also promising for adhering to national and international guidelines for local and vast expansion of global investment.

Keywords: Accounting and Finance, Policy, Pharmacy, Community, Saudi Arabia. 

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