Keeping appropriate inventory levels
Holding more products relative to your use can often contribute to higher wastage rates. The key to good inventory management is balancing sufficient inventory to meet clinical need while keeping wastage rates, and therefore costs, at a minimum. Stock levels should be set based on what you are going to require over a certain period of time for your authorised patients. You can use your Ig Stock Requirements Forecast Report* in BloodNet to understand the amount of product you have planned to dispense or requested, or the Issues Report (INV002) to review how much product has previously been issued to you over a given period of time, to help you decide how much stock to hold for the period of time that you define. You should also take into account your storage space, supplier delivery schedule and staff rosters for those that process and manage the inventory. Consideration can also be given to holding small quantity of additional stock for contingency use (for any new or existing patients who require urgent product), for example in smaller remote sites where deliveries may be infrequent.
! Dispensers should not hold in excess of one month supply of IVIg or two months’ supply of SCIg.
As stewards of this expensive and precious resource, dispensers need to regularly review and minimise their inventory holdings to prevent expiry related waste and stock hoarding. If you are a dispenser who only manages authorisations infrequently you should consider not ordering a stock and only ordering on demand.
*Note: As at September 2018, the Ig Stock Requirements Forecast Report is under redevelopment.
Next page: Module 2: Managing Intravenous and Subcutaneous Immunoglobulin - Ordering
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