Analysis of pharmaceutical inventory management in a state hospital in Myanmar

Abstract

Inventory management (IM) analysis in a state-level hospital pharmacy of Myanmar was done by using qualitative and quantitative analysis to classify the drug categories that require different levels of management control. Workflow analysis was qualitatively conducted using in-depth interviews of pharmacists. The annual expenditure consumed on each drug of pharmacy for the years 2016 and 2017 was analyzed and application of ABC, VEN, ABC-VEN matrix analysis was performed. The study showed a lack of classification for drug procurement, monitoring, and reporting. There was a lack of appropriate communication between hospital and central procurement, shortage of pharmacists, lack of training about IM, and manually stock record in sub-stories. The study showed that the average annual expenditure was 474,698,280.76 kyats. Of the total 297 medicines, 7.74% (23), 16.84% (50), and 75.42% (224) items were found to be A, B, and C category items respectively costing 70.43%, 19.66%, and 9.91% of drug expenditure. The VEN analysis revealed that 35% (105), 45% (133), and 20% (59) items as Vital, Essential, and Non-essential category items respectively, accounting for 65%, 32%, and 3% of drug expenditure. On ABC-VEN matrix analysis, drugs were group into Category I (38%), Category II (43.1%), and Category III (18.9%) accounting for 84.48%, 14.12%, and 1.4% of drug expenditure. Category I medicines are needed to be controlled strictly whereas Category II and Category III medicines need middle and lower-level management respectively. ABC-VEN classification techniques should be used for efficient resources utilization and elimination of wastage and stock-out situations in hospital pharmacies. Pharmacist resources planning, and training, stock record with IT, appropriate coordination between two sources of procurement should be considered.