The main function of an healthcare system is to provide health assistance in order to meet the real needs of patients, by providing effective services, by resorting to the highest technical-professional skills, without doing patients harm, at the lowest cost and by having respect for the dignity and the will of each patient. This explains the importance of the availability of good quality information, related to all the aspects concerning the medical care, as an indispensible pre-requisite to reach healthcare systems aims. The increasing complexity of the health care, the greater information requirements and the necessity to use medical records also for epidemiological purposes, have highlighted the inadequacy of the paper records in managing a methodical medical assistance program. Turning to an Electronic Health Record (EHR) is the right answer to this inadequacy. The EHR is a complete record patient encounters that allows to automate and streamline workflows in health care settings and to increase safety through evidence-based decision support, quality management, and outcomes reporting. The present paper proposes a model based on MRP/DRP logic which, opportunely integrated with the EHR, represents a valid tool to support the distribution network of medicines and medical supplies replenishment processes. Starting from the data stored in the EHR it allows to optimize planning and programming of the quantities to be ordered for the inventory replenishment in order to reduce the average stock and consequently the costs associated to the warehouses management. The model has been tested in a virtual environment utilising data of a local healthcare structure. The comparison between the results obtained through the use of the model and the current supplying policy outline its effective usefulness in managing the inventory planning process throughout the distribution channel.
A network model to manage pharmaceutical requirements in healthcare structures
FALIVENE, MARIO;IANNONE, RAFFAELE;MIRANDA, Salvatore;RIEMMA, Stefano
2010-01-01
Abstract
The main function of an healthcare system is to provide health assistance in order to meet the real needs of patients, by providing effective services, by resorting to the highest technical-professional skills, without doing patients harm, at the lowest cost and by having respect for the dignity and the will of each patient. This explains the importance of the availability of good quality information, related to all the aspects concerning the medical care, as an indispensible pre-requisite to reach healthcare systems aims. The increasing complexity of the health care, the greater information requirements and the necessity to use medical records also for epidemiological purposes, have highlighted the inadequacy of the paper records in managing a methodical medical assistance program. Turning to an Electronic Health Record (EHR) is the right answer to this inadequacy. The EHR is a complete record patient encounters that allows to automate and streamline workflows in health care settings and to increase safety through evidence-based decision support, quality management, and outcomes reporting. The present paper proposes a model based on MRP/DRP logic which, opportunely integrated with the EHR, represents a valid tool to support the distribution network of medicines and medical supplies replenishment processes. Starting from the data stored in the EHR it allows to optimize planning and programming of the quantities to be ordered for the inventory replenishment in order to reduce the average stock and consequently the costs associated to the warehouses management. The model has been tested in a virtual environment utilising data of a local healthcare structure. The comparison between the results obtained through the use of the model and the current supplying policy outline its effective usefulness in managing the inventory planning process throughout the distribution channel.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
