Location: Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust / Author: Ian Reading / Ref: P2P4 / Prog/Proj: Pharmacy Supply Chain
“At last – a reduction in faxed orders!”
Background
The Heart of England(HoE) Foundation TrustPharmacy trades electronically with a number of main wholesalers. In an effort to facilitate functionality for all suppliers and move further towards the widely agreed objective of 100% e-commerce (including electronic invoicing), it was decided to look into and compare the available electronic ordering gateways.
Issues/Problems Faced
- Manual orders (faxed) placed by Trusts require re-keying by suppliers and analysis carried out of manually received orders by AAH clearly shows a negative impact on the right drug/strength/pack-size being deliveredback to the trust.
- The processing cost of manual orders versus electronic orders is greater for both wholesaler and Trust
- Internet connectivity speed and reliability within the Trust significantly delays process speed and efficiency
- The current E-commerce system was freeand a different system potentially requires funding
- The Trust wished to hold an independent status, which required a full objective review of both E-commerce systems, taking considerable time
- Frustration in that current software does the job required but for limited suppliers
- There might be a cost for an interface between stock control system and E-commerce system
- A different system requires recurring annual revenue costs
Proposal/Approach
It was proposed to make a comparison of both systems and come to an informed decision afterwards (click icon below;E-commerce trading assessment table below).
For a period of about a month the current system was utilised as much as possible and also the way data transfer completed was altered to ODBC (Object Database Connectivity) technology which enhanced the current system’s utilities (especially by supplying price answer backs). Then we requested an alternative software company to pay a site visit to demonstrate the software. Following this, the team visited an independent trust to evaluate the system from a user’s perspective.
Challenges
- Liaising with software companies to fully understand the pros and cons of each system
- Problems with setting up of ODBC facility on current software due to windows XP conflict within the trust
- Convincing the trust that paying for new system with recurring revenue costs was still beneficial
Progress/Outcome
Currently we are using Medecator, and hope to have Tecsol Powergate installed by November 05. We then intend to use both systems for a period of evaluation side by side to fully determine the pros and cons of each and whether there is any benefit in moving to a single system.
Benefits
- Alternative system uses the PaSA NHS Messaging Service to its full potential(if full conversion to Ecommerce ordering isachieved with all suppliers the trust order process cost saving would be £8.8K for wholesaler orders and £14.5K for main supplier orders)
- All wholesalers and many suppliers can trade electronically with the newer system (EXCLUDING FAX PARTNER – as this is not deemed to be true electronic ordering)
Means of Tracking Benefits
Monitor number of orders transmitted on a monthly basis and determine the reduction in process cost. Adoption of Ecommerce should increase as time goes by through trust staff becoming more confident in using the system and more suppliers joining the PaSA Messenger Service providing their own interfaces.
Contacts: / Email Address: / Further Information:(click icon below)Ian Reading / / nww.supplychain.nhs.uk
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