Stabilizing the IV Medication Supply Chain Using Robotic-and-Labor Subscription Model

Marisol De Leon, PharmD, MBA, Director of Pharmacy Operations, and Yevgeniya Kogan, PharmD, Sterile Compounding Operations Manager, University of Maryland Medical Center. Many health systems rely on 503B pharmacies to provide the vast majority of their pre-mixed, compounded sterile products (CSP). But the 503B supply chain has become unpredictable, fraught with product shortages, price fluctuations, and outright stoppages as more 503B vendors leave the market. The disruption impacts patient care as hospital pharmacies are faced with increasing their own CSP production or recommending substitute medications. To regain control, pharmacy leaders at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) sought to insource the majority of their 503B CSP products. They use robotic technology, vendor-supplied pharmacy technicians, and in house pharmacist resources dedicated to achieving monthly CSP production quotas. Using this new, as-a-service model, UMMC has stabilized its CSP supply chain, reduced medication waste, decreased costs, and enhanced patient safety.