Logistics management of cold storage drugs in hospitals

Abstract

This study was performed to identify the problems associated with cold storage drugs, and to explore and assess the logistics system of cold storage drugs in Thai hospitals. The study design consisted of cross-sectional survey research, and the use of mailed questionnaires that were developed according to various standard guidelines. Questionnaires consisted of four main parts, including general information of the respondent, cold storage drug transportation situations, logistics process, and logistics outcome indicators. Seven hundred and twenty hospitals were selected from the database of the Thai Ministry of Public health. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize general information of the respondent. Inferential statistics were used to determine the significant differences among hospital type. A stepwise multiple regression was conducted to determine factors affecting logistics outcome indicators. The overall response rate of this study was 41.8% (301 from 720 hospitals). The percentage of replied questionnaires from the community hospitals, private hospitals, regional and general hospitals, non-public health ministry hospitals and nonoffice of the permanent secretary of ministry of public health hospitals were 51.5%, 20.6%, 14.0%, 8.3% and 5.6% respectively. The results indicated that 301 hospitals faced problems associated with cold storage drugs including :1) cold storage drugs were delivered by medical delivery vehicles without controlled temperature in the storage compartment 2) ice bags melting to water in the cool-box 3) an improper amount of ice bags in the cool-box 4) cold storage drugs which were kept at 2-8C and -20C were delivered to the hospitals without controlled temperature boxes and 5) drugs were delivered at times outside of office hours. Regarding logistics processes in hospitals, the performance of logistics activities were different among the five hospital types. However, overall they had good performance in product selection and logistics management information system, moderate