Interest and economic impact of the development of computer tools for the management and the reallocation of the returned preparations of chemotherapy

Introduction

The production of chemotherapy (41600 preparations in 2015) led to the implementation of preparations in advance at rounded or standard doses. Non-given preparations can be reattributed (Regarding storage conditions or dose connection) consecutively to an exhaustive traceability of returned preparations. This organization is allowed by a home-made informatical tool interfaced with CHIMIO® software. This tool was designed to replace Excel® file. The aim of this study was to analyze the interest (Time spent for reattribution, reduced losses and traceability) on the routine activity.

Material and methods

A retrospective analysis comparing 6 months datas (May-October 2014) of Excel file and the home-made tool (May-October 2015) was conducted. Four endpoints were considered:

1. Data security;
2. Pharmaceutical time consuming on return and reattribution of preparations;
3. Economic impact (losses of preparations and cost);
4. Traceability.

Results-Discussion

1. Extraction more secure with the home –made tool compare to Excel® file.
2. The interface was efficient to update datas in real time for the compatible reattributions and printing labels according to the pharmaceutically validated prescriptions on CHIMIO® with an average saving of 5 minutes per reattributed preparations (2 min versus 7 min).
3. Reattributed preparations rate has increased from 68% to 59 % thanks to the interface. Preparations losses decreased from 540 preparations (41% of returned preparations) to 519 preparations (32% of returned preparations) that is to say from 146K € (1.8 % of the 2014 AK budget) to 135K € (1.6 % of the 2015 AK budget).
4. The exhaustive traceability allows a rapid identification of the returned preparations, of the involved department and of the preparation status (reattributed or destroyed).

Conclusion

The exhaustive management of returned preparations with this tool is an asset for the routine activity. It reduces the financial losses due to advanced preparations and decreases the pharmaceutical time dedicated to this activity.