How is a pill counter tray cleaned in a pharmacy?

Anyone who has ever opened a pill bottle has probably seen the residue that the pills leave behind lurking at the bottom. This residue is a major problem for pharmacies, because it's not only present in the bottle; it's also present on pill counting trays. 

Every pharmacy should be taking precautions to protect their patients against cross-contamination. However, if you're a patient yourself, you might be wondering, how is a pill counter tray cleaned in a pharmacy, and am I protected enough against being subjected to other medications when I pick up my prescriptions? 

Pharmacies employ a variety of tactics to make sure your medicine doesn't contain any foreign pills or residue. For example, some drugs, such as Penicillin or Sulfa drugs can cause allergic reactions for many patients. These counting trays are normally kept separate from the counting trays used for other drugs, and many pharmacies have a policy that they be cleaned after each use. Chemotherapy drugs are highly toxic, and these trays are also kept separated from the other trays in the pharmacy. They require frequent cleaning, and sterilization by bleach. 

Some pharmacies have even adopted a different method of counting pills by using disposable trays. These trays are only used one time, and then they are discarded. While this might seem to be an ideal solution to cutting down on cross-contamination, it poses problems with regards to waste and increased pharmacy costs. 

While these solutions can work, they are not ideal for any pharmacy regardless of how big or small it is. An automated pill counter provides the pharmacy with the cleanest, safest and most efficient method of pill counting. The pills never touch the surface of the counter, so cross-contamination is never a concern. They also allow for quick counting, which helps the pharmacy provide excellent customer service to its patients. 

Every pharmacist is also a patient. Ask yourself, which pill counting method would you prefer? Here at Torbal, we take cross-contamination very seriously. That's why we have taken the steps to eliminate the problem. If you would like more information on our automated pill counters, contact us today!