THE ROLE OF PHARMACY INFORMATION SYSTEMS, FORMULARY ARRANGMNET,SUPPLAY CHAIN AND DISTRBUTION SYSTEM TO IMPROVE PATIENTS' ACCESS TO PRESCRIPTION DRUG IN SAUDI HOSPITALS- A CROSS-SECTIONAL DESCRIPTIVE STUDY
Author(s)
Alsultan M1, Alkelya M2
1University of Dammam, Dammam, Saudi Arabia, 2King Abdullah International Medical Research Center (KAIMRC), Ryiadh, Saudi Arabia
OBJECTIVES: Access to prescription drugs is the optimal goal for health care organization, The aim of the study is to explore the rule of hospital pharmacy systems to improve patients' access to prescription drugs in Saudi hospitals. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey targeted pharmacy managers in hospital with inpatient and outpatient pharmacies in Riyadh City in 2014. The survey gathered information about formulary management and pharmacy operations. RESULTS: Of the 30 hospitals pharmacies, 23(76.6%) pharmacy managers responded, only 21(70%) hospitals pharmacies met the inclusion criteria.Of 21 hospitals, 9(42.9%) hospital pharmacies have Inventory Control System (ICS) that are integrated with prescription processing system which provide alert when the stock supply reach certain level to maintain the drug supply and availability of medications to the patients, on the other hand 7(33.3%) hospital pharmacies did not have ICS.11 (66%) pharmacies provided formulary information update in timely manner, 7(33.3%) pharmacies in annual basis and 3 (14.3) hospital pharmacies did not provide update.Of 21 hospitals, 7(33.3%) hospital pharmacies send drug availability update information to the physicians within the hospital and it's clinics on daily or weekly basis either online or e-mail, while 9(42.8%) send update information in monthly, quarterly or annual basis.Of 6 pharmacy private managers, 5 (83.3) of perceived the drug supply and availability of medication for their patients as good and very good. CONCLUSIONS: Drug availability for patient use in Saudi hospitals depends on the supply chain, distribution system, and also on the flow of information in timely manner between the pharmacy and the physicians. The pharmacy mangers in private hospitals are more likely to be satisfied with drug supply and patients' accessibility to prescription drugs comparing to governmental pharmacy mangers , non formulary restriction and non-centralized supply distribution system might be the explanation for the high satisfaction level for the private pharmacy mangers.
Conference/Value in Health Info
2016-10, ISPOR Europe 2016, Vienna, Austria
Value in Health, Vol. 19, No. 7 (November 2016)
Code
PHS104
Topic
Economic Evaluation, Health Policy & Regulatory, Health Service Delivery & Process of Care, Real World Data & Information Systems
Topic Subcategory
Cost/Cost of Illness/Resource Use Studies, Health & Insurance Records Systems, Hospital and Clinical Practices, Prescribing Behavior, Pricing Policy & Schemes
Disease
Multiple Diseases