No go without the Code
Around five million pharmaceutical consignments are on route in Austria each year. So that nothing untoward happens with these often highly sensitive medical products, the pharmalogistics specialists know that there can be no compromise on quality and control.
(Austria Innovativ 05.2009) The current regulations on the handling and transportation of pharmaceuticals are rigorous in their specification: all parties involved must comply with high standards of training and quality control, and operators who are entrusted with the manufacture, storage and sale of such products are obliged to abide by a strict code. That is all very well, but how is all of this to be supervised? Modern software programs as well as documentation procedures provide a high level of security.
Academic route scheduling
The term may sound somewhat pompous, but it does accurately reflect the nature of the task. After all, route scheduling should not only be cost-efficient but should also be organized in such a way that journeys are made over the shortest possible distance, so as to minimize problems in temperature and risk management. So how should a logistics provider set about organizing the transport of a medical consignment? Here is a concrete example from The Schachinger Group (TSG). The initial situation is as follows:
- Legal requirements demand specialist equipment.
- Whether in the mall, in hospitals or at GP surgeries, pharmacies need several deliveries per day from their wholesaler.
- The ‘Codex für Transport von Arzneimitteln in Österreich’ (Code for the Transport of Medicines in Austria) has tightened up on the regulations governing temperature-controlled deliveries.
As a result, it has been necessary to undertake a thorough reorganization of the pharmaceutical distribution system. The logistic objectives were identified by a team consisting of representatives from The Schachinger Group, the University of Linz and inet-logistics. The aim was to pool resources for maximum effect, to make optimum use of the means of transport available, to minimize overall costs and – last but not least – to achieve a reduction in the level of CO2 emissions.
With around 1,200 retail pharmacists, 1,000 surgeries, 32 university hospitals and more than 240 local healthcare trust hospitals to supply, this is by no means a straightforward task. What has emerged is a four-depot system with a finely detailed warehouse and transport web. Because sensible planning guarantees not only prompt delivery but also cuts back on CO2 emissions.
