2SPD-015 Cost of stockout. A growing problem

• Published in: European journal of hospital pharmacy. Science and practice Vol. 27; no. Suppl 1; p. A16
• Main Authors: Rodriguez Torne, G, Sanchez Cuenca, MJ, Burgos Sierra, F, Fernandez Oropesa, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group LTD 01.03.2020
• Subjects: Economic impact; Laboratories; Pharmacy
• ISSN: 2047-9956; 2047-9964
• DOI: 10.1136/ejhpharm-2020-eahpconf.34

Background and importanceIn the past few years, medicines stockout has become a main problem in hospital management systems. To resolve this situation, different alternatives have to be used, taking resources from other commercial laboratories located in or out of the country through the health ministry. This directly affects demand and price, and most times these cannot be quantified.Aim and objectivesTo quantify the cost of using other commercial laboratories as an alternative to cover medicines stockout in a local hospital.Material and methodsA review of those medicines out of stock during the period January 2016 and October 2019 was made. In order to achieve this goal, the database of the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (CIMA), Foreign Medicines database and the Andalusian Health System purchases system (SIGLO) were used.ResultsDuring the study period, the CIMA recorded 1044 notifications of stockout, of which 146 affected purchases in the pharmacy service: 3 (2.05%) in 2016, 6 (4.11%) in 2017, 30 (20.55%) in 2018 and 107 (73.29%) in 2019, with 32 cases having a direct economic impact (15 by requesting foreign medicines and 17 by changing to an alternative).The increase in cost due to ordering foreign medicines was 20 332.55€ while the increase produced due to a laboratory change was 58 868.12€ for the 4 year period, representing 0.5% of the total amount of purchases during that period.The drugs that had the greatest economic impact, due to purchase from another national laboratory that was more expensive, were piperacillin/tazobactam (37.24% of the total cost increase), docetaxel (25.64%) and paclitaxel (17.16%). In the case of purchases of foreign medicines, the drugs with the greatest economic impact were intravenous levothyroxine (34.77% of the total cost increase) and docetaxel (25.42%).Conclusion and relevanceStockout is a growing problem in our hospital management. Based on our study, this generates an increase of 0.5% in our total purchases in a 4 year period. Greater input from the competent authorities is mandatory to avoid this problem.References and/or acknowledgements1. Maestre Torreblanca JM, et al. Stockout risk analysis and minimization applied to hospital pharmacy management. Farm Hosp 2012;36:130–4.No conflict of interest.