Oh, can I relate! It is especially bad on the week-ends or days I'm off--I come back to so much over stock, it's ridiculous.

And what is really crazy is that I was a tech for 10 years before I started buying--and I "got it" even then!!! The concept just isn't that hard. Buy less more often. That's the whole thing in 4 words

I think part of the problem is that there is no ownership of this job for anyone else in the dept. All they want to see is drugs on the shelves, even if there are 3-4 times that much sitting in a Pyxis machine outdating!! There are no consequences for them.

The techs do monthly floor checks here of every machine and are supposed to run a "meds without removals" report each time and remove or reduce anything that has low usage. Doesn't happen.

The other thing is that Cardinal and I think ABC have a column called AMU (average monthly use) that I moved right next to the drug description, so anyone can see that if our AMU is 1, we don't need 6 on the shelf.

Things may not change, but we can vent to each other and totally understand the problem.

Name of Facility: PORTER

City, State: acute care

Years as a Buyer: 9+

I took me a long time to get our hospital to unmirror
the machines. We use to have 2 machines on each floor
and if 1 patient was on a med both machines had to have that med in both. That has helped with the inventory. Also I will run a list of the expensive
drugs like zyvox etc. (I have a list of about 20)
the techs have to go up and pull this drugs out if
the patient is discharged or no longer on them. We
also have a 2 bin system. I will order and if it is
something we do not use to often or very spending I will have a tech pull from pyxis. This seems to help
alittle. The techs don't like it, but I'm doing my job
not making friends.

Name of Facility: Avera McKennan Hospital

City, State: Hospital and University

Years as a Buyer: 15

I really don't know too much about the reports from pyxis. I add all of the new drugs and I know how to print a few reports. Is there a report from pyxis that will tell me the "par vs usage" like the one Kathy uses from omnicell? Thanks to you all for the feedback. I think the "pyxis" tech might get a little miffed at me for stepping on her toes ,but I am the one taking the fall for the astronimcal inventory that we do not turn.

Name of Facility: wishard hospital

City, State: level 1 trauma center and teaching

Years as a Buyer: 9

Hello!

I don't know how much I can help. At our facility we average 18.6 turns a year in our 65 Pyxis stations, where our overall turns for the Med Center is 8 (have to keep expensive items that are barely used once a year on hand at all times). It will be interesting to see what our turns are this year though as this will be our first full year using CardinalASSIST.

Like say, we use CardinalASSIST and currently have 225 line items coming in through the program. We love it because the inventory comes in and goes straight to the machines and never hits our shelves. We are always looking for new opportunities to add items to this program.

We use two people to keep a hand on inventory in Pyxis. Our Pyxis Administrator and I look at the data provided by CardinalASSIST weekly to adjust min/max levels. We keep a 5 day min in all but three of our stations, and they have a 3 day min because they are closed on the weekend.

Every 3 months or so our Pyxis Administrator will run a non-accessed drug report and either remove the drug from the station or lower the levels depending on what the drug is.

At least once a year we run a report and ask the clinical pharmacist that are assigned particular units to evaluate reports we generate to see if the meds loaded in a station are necessary. If they tell us they are not needed, they get pulled.

However, we do still have a lot of outdated drugs coming back from the stations. As you can tell, we have a lot of training to do still to get our techs to rotate stock.

I think it is impossible to keep inventory controlled in any ADU (or the pharmacy for that matter) if you do not have the support of your staff.

Name of Facility: UK HelathCare Chandler Medical Center

City, State: Level I Trauma, University teaching, cancer center, pediatric hospital...

Years as a Buyer: 3+ offically, 10 as a tech

Jackie,
I think your first step in tackling
your issue is to having your Manager behind you 100%.
He/She should address the Pyxis Tech and make it clear on the out of control Inventory in the Pyxis units.It should reflect her reivew if the inventory numbers don't drop! If you have a Manager that watches the numbers closely it shouldn't be too hard to get the support. The Techs need to realize that your job as the buyer is to save money and it reflects on your performance as well.

If I were you, I would run reports and see who is overfilling daily... print it out and have that person go back to the floors and remove it!! Yeah I'm a tough one lol.... Again, bring it to the attention of your manager get the approval and buckle down! Remember you aren't there to make friends, but to cut cost and do a good job which it sounds like you get it...you just don't like anyone getting upset with you???

Name of Facility: Preferred Homecare

City, State: Home Infusion

Years as a Buyer: 17

You are right I need someone especially my manager to stand behind me. Unfortunately she wants me to hardnosed and when I am,the pharmacists and techs go to her and she buckles. So who looks like she is just trying to be a #$%#@? Me, but when she gets in trouble for the numbers she comes down on me. I think I will try the meds not removed report and take it straight to the director. They are really good friends so I know she won't get in trouble ,but she will be ****** for me going to him . I really don't care if the staff gets upset with me I just don't like trying to enforce the rules just to have management not have my back.

Name of Facility: wishard hospital

City, State: level 1 trauma center ,teaching hospital

Years as a Buyer: 9

Brian,

You have a Talyst Carousel correct?

How is Cardinal Assist working with Talyst? Is it communicating fully? Do meds on your assist portfolio come through automatically to the Carousel if they stock out or if they are new loads?