title: Operations analysis applied to a drug distribution system.
abstract: The application of operations analysis to a hospital drug distribution system is discussed. The existing system in a 360-bed community hospital was reviewed to identify areas for improvement; alternate approaches to achieve the identified benefits were explored. Improved manual procedures, which integrated pharmacy and nursing operations to a greater extent and resulted in fewer lost charges, were developed. Potential savings through computerization of 10 functions were identified. A rating system was developed to evaluate eight vendors of computerized pharmacy systems. The hospital as a whole undertook the following steps designed to assure the success of new systems: (1) determine the overall hospital benefits desired in order to prevent fragmentation by individual efforts; (2) establish a planning process; (3) establish a process for reviewing projects; (4) develop a plan for systems improvement; and (5) monitor the performance of the systems improvement program. The steps for successful operations analysis are summarized.
mesh_terms: D003201:Computers; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006750:Hospital Distribution Systems; D009729:Nursing; D009874:Operations Research; D010605:Pharmacy Administration; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital