Synopsis
There are now numerous design iterations available to hospital pharmacies when it comes to the structure, layout, and functionality of pharmaceutical compounding operations. Decisions must be made regarding the various types of compounding being performed specific to the facility, such as high-, medium-, and low-risk, as well as non-hazardous. One design concept to consider is open architecture, which has its own set of pros and cons, but does offer benefits that were not as readily accessible in the past. The fundamental aspect of open architecture cleanrooms is the ability to perform appropriate (ie, non-hazardous) compounding operations without the use of an enclosure, by utilizing engineered airflow to protect products from contamination. This approach has been gaining ground in hospital pharmacy operations for many years now and is often our first suggestion to a client for non-hazardous compounded sterile preparation (CSP) compounding, especially when the project involves new cleanroom construction. If the pharmacy is considering an open architecture approach to a cleanroom build or remodel that includes integrated, unidirectional vertical laminar flow (UVLF) workbenches, there are several important factors that must be taken into account.
