Health Care : Current Reviews

CASE STUDY: PROCESS RE-ENGINEERING OF CLINICAL PHARMACY SERVICES IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Joint Event on 2^nd International Conference on Healthcare & Hospital Management and 6^th International Conference on Medical & Nursing Education

November 6-7, 2017 | Vienna, Austria

Sujata Malik

Sunburst Healthcare Pvt Ltd, India

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Health Care Current Reviews

Abstract:

Statement of the problem: Pharmacy services are an important contributor to the business of any multi-speciality, tertiary care hospital. Their mandate is to meet complex and diverse requirements, such as pharmaceutical products, implantable devices, prostheses and medical consumables. It is important therefore to align business objectives to essential quality requirements. The aim is to ensure an uninterrupted supply chain at all times, while complying with quality and regulatory requirements. The basic principles of vendor selection, inventory control, Just-in-time delivery, are a major contributor to service excellence and profitability. This case study presents the impact that a complete re-working of processes, had on the functioning of a pharmacy providing OPD and in-patient services to a 350 bedded multi-speciality hospital in India. Methodology and Theoretical Orientation: The impact of a series of interventions, like institution of a Pharmaco-Therapeutic Committee, adoption of a formulary, limitation of brands, a well-defined vendor selection process, was studied. Questionnaires were used to obtain feedback from vendors and users of the service, including doctors and nurses. Quality metrics were measured and compared to the previous year. Inventory held, credits obtained due to back-loading of stock before expiry, and financial performance was measured. Findings: Well planned, multi-pronged interventions w.r.t pharmacy services, led to significant improvement in service quality, customer satisfaction and profitability of the business. Conclusion and Significance: Process re-engineering of pharmacy services can significantly impact the financial well-being of a hospital. Improvement in quality of service and customer and vendor satisfaction are other benefits. Recommendations are made for hospital pharmacies to initiate and sustain process restructuring for improvement in quality and financial performance of hospital pharmacy services.

Biography :

Sujata Malik is a seasoned Hospital Management professional with extensive first-hand experience of managing operations of large hospitals in India. She is heading a Healthcare Management Consulting Company. She is a Member of the American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE). Healthcare Quality is another area of specialisation. She is a Principal Assessor with National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH), which is the healthcare accreditation agency in India. Her study is based on implementation of extensive restructuring of pharmacy processes, in a 350 bedded multi-speciality hospital in Pune in Western India. Her evaluation of the problem, implementation of corrective strategies and monitoring of impact, reflects her in-depth understanding of the subject. It is felt that the study will be of relevance to healthcare management professionals in other parts of the world as well. Currently, she is the CEO and Managing Director at Sunburst Healthcare Pvt Ltd., India.