High-cost medicines

Oncology drugs, biologics and advanced therapies have a very high cost per unit: every unit that is missing, expires or cannot be found has a direct impact on the pharmacy budget. We help you know how much there is of each one, where it is and who removed it, without manual counts.

The challenge

In the pharmacy store, high-cost medicines sit alongside the rest of the stock, and their control often depends on counts and manual records:

Physical stock does not always match what the system shows.
There is no record of who removes each unit or when.
Inventory discrepancies are investigated afterwards, when they are hard to explain.
Units close to expiry are detected late, at a high cost for each one lost.

What we focus on

Stock by unit in the pharmacy store
Controlled access and recorded removals
Replenishment and expiry alerts

Every unit located

With RFID identification, each unit of these medicines is located in the pharmacy store and its stock is kept up to date without counts: how much there is, in which location and with which batch and expiry date. More detail in RFID and traceability.

Controlled access

Access to the area where they are kept is controlled, whether a storeroom, a room or a cabinet: each removal is linked to the person who makes it and to the time it is made.

It applies in the hospital pharmacy.

What changes

Reliable stock without counts

How much of each medicine there is and where, without counting it by hand.

Recorded removals

Each removal is linked to the person who makes it.

Fewer inventory discrepancies

Discrepancies are detected immediately and explained with the removal record.

Fewer expired units

Units close to expiry are identified in time to use them first.

Capabilities

Access control and removal traceability

Controlled access to the medicine, with a record of who removes each unit and when.

Batches and expiry dates by unit

Tracking of the batch and expiry date of each unit, to use first the one that expires first.

How we approach it

We start by agreeing with the pharmacy which medicines need this level of control and how they move today. The technology adapts to that process, not the other way round.

1Assessment

Medicines included, locations and how receipts and removals are recorded today.

2Stock and access control

Units identified, controlled access and removals recorded by person.

3Integration

With the hospital’s ERP, to match movements against purchasing and replenishment. Through APIs and files, with the scope defined in each project.

4Follow-up

Regular review of discrepancies and expiries against the starting point.

What we measure

Inventory accuracy for high-cost medicines
Removals with a recorded user
Inventory discrepancies
Expired units
Time spent on counts

Where it applies

Pharmacy

Questions we are often asked

Which medicines count as high-cost?

It depends on each hospital. Oncology drugs, biologics and advanced therapies are usually included; the list is agreed with the pharmacy during the assessment.

How do you control who removes each unit?

Access is controlled and each removal is linked to the person who makes it and to the time.

Does it replace the pharmacy management system?

No. It complements it with physical control of the stock: what is really in the store and who has moved it.

Does it connect to the hospital’s ERP?

Yes, through integration, to match movements against purchasing and replenishment. The scope is defined in each project together with the IT team.

How does it help reduce expired stock?

By tracking the batch and expiry date of each unit, those close to expiry are identified in time to use them first.

Where do we start?

With an assessment, together with the pharmacy, of the medicines and the current process. If you would rather see it first, we can arrange a private demonstration with your team.

Shall we talk about how it applies to your hospital?

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