title: Stockout risk analysis and minimization applied to hospital pharmacy management.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine how many dispensary drugs should be in the safety stock in a tertiary hospital in accordance with the risk level and the number of days that the hospital is able to withstand a stockout.
  
  
  METHODS
  We statistically analysed the infliximab order recorded over a period of 120 days. This drug is relevant for this study as it is costly and is immediately supplied to the clinic. Using the data records for purchasing and dispensing in our department, we created a table to compare the level of risk assumed with the number of units in stock and the number of days that the safety stock should last. In addition, we calculated how much stock there should be in accordance with different heuristic rules used by pharmacy departments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the period being studied, the daily order was 11.4±14.8 units of infliximab. Using the methodology proposed, we discovered that there should be 79 units in the safety stock. Other hospital rules determine values of 47 and 119 units.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The method proposed allows us to discover the risk level that is assumed when selecting the safety stock. Therefore, we are able to design a safety stock policy consistent with the risk level adopted. Under certain assumptions the safety stock quota provided by this method could be reduced. Lastly, there is a notable difference between the safety stock values suggested by different rules, as it has been shown in this article.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ingeniería de Sistemas y Automática, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, España. pepemaestre@cartuja.us.es
authors.forename: José María
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Maestre Torreblanca
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Isla Tejera
authors.forename: María Isabel
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Fernández García
authors.forename: José Ramón
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Del Prado Llergo
authors.forename: Teodoro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Alamo Cantarero
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández Camacho
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000191:economics; D040261:Harm Reduction; D000069285:Infliximab; D007445:Inventories, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D016134:Organizational Policy; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D013030:Spain; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations; D000069285:Infliximab