E-drug: Re: Drug inventory control software (contd)
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About what Richard Laing wrote...
1. Field experiences
I refer to the message from Erik Schouten when he reports "There are examples
of medical stores that have purchased these packages for small and medium
sized enterprises and the experiences are positive." I would like to hear
more about these examples.
At least the following medical stores are currently using a commercial package
for small and medium size entreprises, with very positive results :
1. In Europe : the Medico-Pharmaceutical Humanitarian Store (in french CHMP)
- this is the medical store previously linked to Pharmacists Without
Borders - the size and purpose of this store is more close to that of
the IDA Foundation than of the developing countries stores - for info
on their organisation and computerised management, contact
Jean-Yves Videau
(pharmacist, Director) at chmp.jyv@wanadoo.fr
2. In Kenya : the Kenyan CHMP - medical store linked to Pharmacists Without
Borders program in Kenya - is using a commercial package linked to some
specific modules (specific reporting) - contact Bertrand Chenin (computer
scientist and manager, previously managing the Kenyan CHMP) for info at
cename@lom.camnet.cm
3. In Madagascar : the SALAMA medical store - national store of Madagascar -
contact G�rard Millot (pharmacist, EU technical support to SALAMA) and
Tantely Rakotomalala (pharmacist, Director) for info at salama@simicro.mg
4. In Chad : the CPA - national medical store of Chad - is using a commercial
package for its accounting module - contact Anne Nicolay (economist, EU
technical support to CPA) or Mr Kosta (CPA accounting officer) for info at
cpa.tchad@intnet.td
The following african medical stores (all at national level) already decided to
install a commercial package for small and medium size entreprises. This
installation is either already under process or planed at a very close date.
Their decision was taken with regard to existing softwares, their needs, and
either their own past experience or the one of other stores of the area :
1. CAMERWA : this is the new national medical store of Rwanda - installation
of the package is currently under process - contact Jean-Christophe
P�lissier (pharmacist, EU technical support to CAMERWA) and Ernest
Rwagasana (manager, Director) for info at psp@rwandatel1.rwanda1.com
2. CENAME : this is the new national medical store of Cameroon - installation
of a commercial package will take place in a very near future - chaice is
already made - contact Bertrand Chenin (computer scientist and manager, EU
technical support to CENAME) and Oussoumanou Taouss� (pharmacist,
Director) for info at cename@lom.camnet.cm
3. CAMEG of Burkina Faso : they have been trying several specific-made
softwares, including a little commercial package, with unsastisfactory
results (lack of potency, of user-friendliness and of safeness of use) -
they finally decided to buy a more potent and complete commercial package
- choice is already made - contact Christian Chorliet (pharmacist, french
technical support to CAMEG) and Lazare Banss� (manager, Director) for info
through psf@fasonet.bf
4. CAME of Benin : they are currently using a home-made package (under UNICEF
funding) with unsatisfactory results (same as CAMEG) - they recently
decided to buy a complete commercial package - choice already made - own
funding - contact Pascal Hessou (pharmacist, Director) and Koukou Afogb�
(pharmacist, Deputy Director) for info at came.benin@bow.intnet.bj
5. CPA of Chad : beside their accountig module, they are currently using
GEMEDIC for inventory control - for easier and more rational management,
they are looking to replace the GEMEDIC package (drug-specific) by the
commercial management modules of the same package they are currently using
for accounting procedures
2. The market survey before INVEC development
When the INVEC package was first being developed at MSH we thought we could
find a package that met the various needs existing in a developing country
drug warehouse and despite Jean Pierre Sallet reviewing a large number of
packages none met the needs. As I recall the key problems was having a
package that could deal with long expiry dates, batch numbers, fluctuating
currency values and to export to a relatively simple accounting package. As I
recall also INVEC had fields for ATC numbers and DDD data from the outset
but this was not used much.
I agree with this. We made the same kind of survey with the same conclusions.
But this was some years ago ! The tools that are proposed today are much more
potent and developed than they were, and include now quite all the functions we
need for drug-management. I'll develop that in answer to the third point of
this discussion.
3. The potency and accuracy of the commercial packages
If a good commercial package like Quicken could be found this would make
things much easier but I am not sure that such a package exists.
Also I wonder if we are realistic thinking that there can be a one package
fits all situations. What a large central store with annual tendering needs
is different to an NGO store with a limited inventory that orders from a
small number of suppliers.
Kirsten Myhr's remarks about the focus of some of the commercial packages and
the nessecary link between the accounting and financial needs and the stock
management are right and very important. The good commercial package are
modular and are offering at one side all the financial and accounting modules
(general accounting, analytical accounting, budget, bank reconciliation,
immobilisations, auditing support, key business indicators) and at the other
side what is called the commercial modules, including all the stock-keeping and
inventory control functions (stock-keeping, batch management and
product-tracing, multiple store management, purchasing and selling management,
price and tariffying management, customers and supplyers management, all kind
of statistics, balance of accounts receivable and payable). In addition, these
packages have a very open coding system as well as multiple free fields you can
use the way you want. So the DDD and ATC codes may be managed if needed. The
commercial packages I am talking about are including all these functions. The
commercial packages installed or chosen in all medical stores I have listed
are corresponding to this acception.
Daniel Vandenbergh
pharmacist
AEDES
34 rue Joseph II
B-1000 Brussels
Belgium
T: +32 2 209 10 20
F: +32 2 219 03 06
e-mail: dvandenbergh@aedes.be
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