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
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
