Preparing for the Future with a Central-Fill Pharmacy

In a world rife with supply chain issues and the unfortunate reality that sudden community emergencies⁽¹⁾ and mass casualty events are far too common⁽²⁾, the importance of a secure supply chain, and a prepared health-system, cannot be overstated.

Although we’ve touched on the benefits of re-insourcing, even for smaller operations, the continued consolidation of the industry through the formation of large-scale health-systems and IDNs, only enhances the value of the hub-and-spoke approach to compounding.

When implemented properly, central-fill pharmacies allow you to streamline production, enhance operational efficiency, reduce costs, and improve patient outcomes.⁽³⁾

Streamline Production with a Centralized Location

With a central-fill pharmacy, all CSP production takes place in one location, ensuring the numerous benefits of standardized processes are felt system-wide. Rather than having to focus on several locations, a central-fill pharmacy isolates any required upkeep, maintenance, and necessary staff to one location.

These standardized processes lead to better and more consistent patient outcomes, as well as a more specialized staff. The graphics below better illustrate the consolidation of responsibility that comes with the central-fill model. 

The Larger the System, the Larger the Potential Savings

Health-systems are constantly under pressure to work under budget and increase profits. Weighing budgetary concerns against improving patient outcomes only adds to that pressure.

It is rare for cost cutting measures to lead to better patient outcomes, but that’s what makes a central-fill pharmacy unique. You can reduce costs while improving patient outcomes and medication safety..

Here's how cost cutting measures are made possible by a central-fill pharmacy:

• • Lower Maintenance Costs by Consolidating Production Hardware to one physical location
  • Larger orders and shipments open the door to volume pricing discounts
  • More efficient use of inventory leads to fewer shortages/overages and less drug waste

Here’s how a central-fill pharmacy improve patient outcomes:

• • Operating a central-fill model allows you to focus on one single location, rather than managing quality standards across multiple locations, reducing the risk of errors, and making it easier to ensure quality standards are being met system-wide.
  • With one single supplier, the benefits of a standardized workflow are felt system-wide, ensuring
  • With one location handling production, staff at partnering locations are no longer bogged down by order or shipment management, or production tasks. Allowing the staff at all entities to be more specialized in their responsibilities, leading to better performance.
  • An increase in production volume can open the door to additional process improving solutions, that weren’t practical in a non-central-fill model, further
  • Standardized processees reduce the risk of human error when compounding medications

Improving a Central Fill Facility with Assure-Trak^® EXchange Order Module

If your health-system is already utilizing a central-fill model, there is still room for growth and improvement to your process efficiency. Assure-Trak^® EXchange Order Module was designed to simplify the order management process for buyers and producers in a central-fill model.

One of the benefits of EXchange, is its increased visibility of on-hand product. This increased visibility makes it easier for all parties to be proactive in their ordering practices, further reducing the risks of shortages, overages, and waste. Additionally, producing entities are easily able to cross check open orders with current batch inventory, and track in-house transfers, modifying production accordingly.

The benefits of EXchange are not limited to process improvement; EXchange also simplifies recall management and can easily locate orders containing quarantined product, having a direct impact on medication safety and patient outcomes. Additionally, buyer and producer can communicate entirely in-app regarding any order. EXchange is a CSOS solution, featuring automated Electronic-Record Keeping.

If you want to learn more about how Assure-Trak^® can improve your workflow processes, let’s talk! 

¹ - https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/11/us/kentucky-tornado.html 

² - https://abc13.com/astroworld-htx-deaths-ezra-blount-bharti-shahani-madison-dubisk/11237335/ 

³ - https://www.swisslog-healthcare.com/-/media/swisslog-healthcare/documents/solutions/consolidated-service-centers/adm-410-considerations-for-a-central-fill-pharmacy.pdf?rev=e2302df20769485cabeaa1399d61c82e&hash=BD659EAF78617798D06A98EC02FEE97C