Please don't publish
Yes! We have been stuck storing Contrast for about a year now, and just like every other pharmacy we had no where to keep it. It got dumped on us with little warning, and the buyer at that time left a week after she set up her own system for ordering and storing. So I got stuck trying to figure it all out after I had had little involvement setting it all up to begin with. So they way we handle it- We have an entire wire shelf in the pharmacy (right next to my desk) devoted to contrast, which is clearly labeled so my techs have a better chance of knowing what it all is. And we made our Radiology dept get 2 Pyxis towers to keep the majority of it in their deptartment. Luckily this has worked so far. Hope you can get everything under control.

Name of Facility: Samaritan Hospital

Years as a Buyer: 1

We had to order contrast media also, but we unloaded the entire shipment on Radiology as soon as we received it. That may help your storage problem. The cost, if you haven't been ordering it until now, should be charged to Radiology immediately, then it's their problem. Sometimes, when the money people see an increase in expenses followed an equal or greater increase in revenue, they sometimes forgive you for the overages and adjust your budget.

Name of Facility: Summerdale Enterprises, Inc.

City, State: Publishing

Years as a Buyer: 30+

We started stocking and ordering this in the last year. We charge it off to Radiology every month as it is part of the procedure charge not an individual medication charge. We now get most of it through our wholesaler, so that helps keep the inventory level lower than the direct orders and assists with the storage issues. We stock Omnicells in the Radiology department with the contrast and this also helps us keep our inventory lower in the Pharmacy . Now that we have had the contrast for a period of time, I also am planning a PAR analysis to see where we can reduce our stock position. So you are not alone out there. It is something we are all dealing with or will be shortly if we have not reached it yet.

I really recommend that you talk with your wholesaler, give them unit movement if possible and get them to stock it. You can get it as needed and keep your inventories low and have space to store what you need. We are using Cardinal as our wholesaler.

Name of Facility: St. Francis health Center

City, State: Acute

Years as a Buyer: 4+ in Pharmacy 25 in retail hard goods

Since the contrast media has an NDC we treat it like a drug. We do ordering once a week for the different departments that have the contrast media. The different departments have areas within their departments that they store it. They set the par levels. All we have to do is go up once a week and look at their inventory and order up to their par level. We order a majority of it directly from out wholesaler so when we order it we have it the next day. We then deliver it to the departments. Once a month the cost of the contrast media is billed to each department for what we ordered/delivered to them that month. This works really well for us. If they see that they may run out before the next order will be placed they know to let myself or the other ordering person know to order more. The burden is placed upon them and not us.

Name of Facility: Rapid City Regional Hospital

City, State: Hospital

Years as a Buyer: 4

I started buying contrast about 8 year ago.
I buy for 8 differnt departments in our hospital.
I have pre printed order form set up for each department. They have to order by the case because I do not stock this in the Pharmacy Dept. I have a fax machine in my office and each department will fax me their order when they need the products. I use Cardinal Health as my wholesaller. When I place the order I will charge the invoice products to the department that orders them.When the product comes in to the pharmacy department it is received an then sent directly to each department.

Name of Facility: Sharon Regional Health System

City, State: Hospital-270 beds

Years as a Buyer: 33

Gary,
Do you get things like Varibar nectar, honey, thin liquid from Cardinal? Also, Read-i-cat barium liquid? Right now I am ordering things like that from SourceOne, with a once a week delivery, but if some division of Cardinal stocks those, I would request my division to do so, as well.
Thanks,
Ruth

Name of Facility: PORTER

Years as a Buyer: 9+