Abstract

MATERIAL MANAGEMENT IN COMMUNITY PHARMACY

Sandipkumar Bhatt*, Aalap Patel, Dhwani Parekh, Love Patel, Swapnil Dalasaniya and Akash Mathuria

ABSTRACT

An efficient inventory control system would help optimize the use of resources and eventually help improve patient care. Individual ABC- based on volume- cost criteria and VED- critical needs and matrix with lead time was conducted in 4 different community pharmacies of Gujarat state. A prospective and retrospective observation were performed on the quarterly consumption and expenditure incurred on selected item of pharmacy for the year were analyzed and inventory control techniques, i.e. ABC, VED and ABC-VED matrix analysis, were applied. The total number of drugs included in study was 645, 471, 1082 and 836 at site I, II, III and IV respectively which accounted for Total Drug Expenditure of INR 5,56,991.05, INR 32,57,973.64, INR 9,37,466.63 and INR 5,41,702.78 for Site-I, II, III and IV, correspondingly. Of the total 3034 drugs including all 4 sites, category A consuming 70.7% of total expenditure and 29.5 % total quantity of drugs, category B consuming 19.4% of total expenditure and 30.09 % total quantity of drugs, category C consuming 9.8% of total expenditure and 40.3 % total quantity of drugs. Out of 3034 drugs, 6.2%, were vital, 90.9% were essential and 2.8%. were desirable. ABC- VED matrix analysis of the inventory revealed 33.3%, 65.3% and 1.3% items belong to category I, II and III respectively. ABC-VED matrix is the most reliable that should practice routinely for efficient management, category I drugs require stringent control for optimal use of medicine to avoid out of stock situation on choice of medicine in community pharmacy.

Keywords: ABC analysis, VED analysis, inventory management, lead time and ABC-VED matrix analysis.