(Don't post my response, in case you would without posting the original)

We have set par levels, but we're actually experimenting right now because the tech who set them didn't look at anything, she just kind of pulled numbers out of her... head. So, we're trying to figure out how many days par we have. As for never running out, is that pharmacist from planet earth? There will ALWAYS be something you run out of. I had a similar situation a while ago because we ran out of Integrilin over the weekend because we had a run on it, and the pharmacist (a newbie) told me our par should cover any possible situation we'd have with that drug, well, why not just keep 5,000 of everything on the shelf just in case??? Geez

On a more serious, productive note; we have another hospital in town, so if we run out of something, we call them and borrow/buy it. There are also several pharmacies near by that stock strange items, since we have a formulary and do not buy off form, we sometimes have to borrow from other places because we just don't stock the drug.

We're going to be re-evalutating our par levels soon b/c I want a 3 day par on drugs, but its up to your technicians to write down whether theres a run on something. There are times when a normal 3 day supply lasts you 6 hours because there's a run on something. I have had a problem lately with technicians not communicating to me that we have an unusually high number of patients on a drug. If you pharmacist really wants to get to the source, have he/she encourage the techs to communicate effectively with you about whats being used and not, and it should help with running out of things.

Name of Facility: Catawba Valley Medical Center - 270 beds

City, State: Teaching

Years as a Buyer: Less than 1!!!

I agree with the last poster, whose name will be protected for personal reasons, that there is not a single industry on this planet that does not have shortages. Look at the gas shortage of the Seventies, the bread, milk and toilet paper shortages during every snow threat in the East, heck, even our cafeteria runs out of cups! So to demand that there cannot be any shortages is fantasy.

As for par levels, that is a dynamic exercise that will always change. Your best bet, after you've established how many days supply you wish to keep on hand, is to monitor usage over a length of time you determine.

I used to inventory the fast movers every week, and just listen for usage of unusual items. Because of that practice, I would work to ensure a week's worth of the fast movers. To paraphrase a old adage, the price of perpetual is constant vigilance! You will have to depend on ALL your co-workers, pharmacist included, to let you know when things are moving AND taking the responsibility of writing things down, not just telling you.

Par levels are realistically any quantity you feel comfortable with. If you can maintain 15 turns with a two-week par level, that's fine. If your space requirments limit your inventory to just a few days, that's what you have to live with. Find what fits and go with it!

Name of Facility: Kennedy Health System / 180

City, State: Teaching

Years as a Buyer: > 30, Retired ...for now

Experience is a big help--you eventually just KNOW what the fast, big movers are.
I also get a daily report from IT detailing every patient charge for the last 24 hours. It is sorted by drug name, so I can see immediately how many famotidine vials or Coreg 12.5 were used. This is an emormous help, for the very reasons you have described. Rarely does anyone, tech or pharmacist, come to me to say we're having a run on Remicade. Maybe your IT dept can work for get you a similar report. Never hurts to ask!!
Ruth

Name of Facility: 300

City, State: acute care

Years as a Buyer: 8

i agree with one of the previous posters. It's all about experience. I walk my shelf everyday and i know what is being used. Our par levels are set and continually changed...drugs come, drugs go. We use Omnicell and they reports that tell me the items that have not been used in a while and we will lower those pars. the longer you are there the more you will know your inventory pretty well

BW

Name of Facility: 120+

City, State: Spec

Years as a Buyer: 5