The Hospital Pharmacist and an Experimental Model for Inventory Management of Drugs to Minimize the Risk of Missed Doses and to Reduce Waste

Abstract

The inventory management of drugs and medical devices is a necessary precondition to ensure there is a consistent approach to drugs management in all wards to minimize the risk of missed doses and to reduce waste. In the majority of drug supply systems, the simple models work as well as the complex models. Aim: To test a simple experimental method for inventory management of drugs and medical devices ensuring there is a consistent approach to drugs management in all wards to minimize the risk of missed doses and to reduce waste. Results: The monthly number of urgent requests has been progressively reduced. The monthly number of expired drugs has been progressively reduced. We have used a simple mathematical model for a correct inventory management of the drugs supply system. Preliminary results have shown that the inclusion of the hospital pharmacist in the ward's therapeutic team, with the important collaboration of the nursing staff, can improve the safety of patients and prevent waste of financial resources, or shortages of essential drugs. Our experimental model for the inventory management of drugs was shown to be an important step forward in the drugs supply system.