Developing a hospital pharmacy purchasing system

Suggestions for developing or modifying a pharmacy purchasing system are presented and discussed. To achieve an optimal purchasing system, pharmacy managers must understand the development and operation of their current systems and enlist the participation of other hospital departments in planning the new or modified system. A pharmacy purchasing system should ensure that drug products and supplies of the highest quality are obtained at the lowest price, that these items are available when needed, and that the financial investment in drug and supply inventory is appropriate. The job requirements, activities, and responsibilities of pharmacy purchasing personnel are described, and the recording and retrieving of purchasing data are discussed. Various order-placement alternatives are compared, and order-shipment alternatives are described. Equipment and supply requirements for the purchasing function are also presented. An efficient, productive purchasing system can produce cost savings for the pharmacy department and the institution.