E-DRUG: Do changes to supply chains processes lead to cost saving & improve outcomes
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Dear e-drug readers
Very interesting article recently published in BMJ Global Health that could
interest some of you
Enjoy your reading, best regards, Etienne
Do changes to supply chains and procurement processes yield cost savings
and improve availability of pharmaceuticals, vaccines or health products?
A systematic review of evidence from low-income and middle-income countries
http://gh.bmj.com/content/2/2/e000243
Abstract
Introduction Improving health systems performance, especially in
low-resource settings facing complex disease burdens, can improve
population health. Specifically, the efficiency and effectiveness of supply
chains and procurement processes for pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other
health products has important implications for health system performance.
Pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other health products make up a large share
of total health expenditure in low-income and middle-income countries
(LMICs), and they are critical for delivering health services. Therefore,
programmes which achieve cost savings on these expenditures may help
improve a health system's efficiency, whereas programmes that increase
availability of health products may improve a health system's
effectiveness. This systematic review investigates whether changes to
supply chains and procurement processes can achieve cost savings and/or
improve the availability of drugs in LMICs.
Methods
Using the PRISMA guidelines for systematic reviews, we searched
PubMed, Embase, CINAHL and the Health Economic Evaluation Database to
identify.
Results
We identified 1264 articles, of which 38 were included in our
study. We found evidence that centralised procurement and tendering can
achieve direct cost savings, while supply chain management programmes can
reduce drug stock outs and increase drug availability for populations.
Conclusions
This research identifies a broad set of programmes which can
improve the ways that health systems purchase and delivery health products.
On the basis of this evidence, policymakers and programme managers should
examine the root causes of inefficiencies in pharmaceutical supply chain
and procurement processes in order to determine how best to improve health
systems performance in their specific contexts.
Key questions
What is already known about this topic?
- Pharmaceuticals, vaccines and other health products are an important
component of a strong health system. Procurement processes and supply
chains are critical for purchasing and delivering these products.
What are the new findings?
- Centralising procurement for health products can yield cost savings
across many contexts.
- Efforts to improve supply chain management can increase the availability
of health products in low-income and middle-income countries, especially by
reducing stock outs. However, there is no single approach to improving
supply chains that should be used in all contexts.
Recommendations for policy
-Policymakers and practitioners should consider the root causes of
programmatic challenges to purchasing and distributing health products in
their context and identify specific interventions that can strengthen these
processes.
Etienne Guillard - PharmD, MSc
Health Services & Systems Strengthening Director
Solthis
www.solthis.org
Etienne Guillard <etienne.guillard@gmail.com>