ArticlePloS one2017
Time spent by Belgian hospital pharmacists on supply disruptions and drug shortages: An exploratory study.
Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 22 papers.
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Who cites it
22 citing papers in PubMed, 47 citations in OpenAlex.
- Impact of drug shortages on the work of hospital pharmacists in Japan.Journal of pharmaceutical policy and practice · 2026Article
- Addressing Drug Shortages at Mediclinic Parkview Hospital: A Five-Year Study of Challenges, Impact, and Strategies.Cureus · 2024Article
- Influence of drug shortages on the well-being at work of pharmacists practicing in community pharmacies.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2024Article
- Article
- Public information on shortages in the EU/EEA: improvements made between 2018 and 2020.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2024Article
- Medicine shortages in France: a 6-year retrospective study in a university medical centre.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2023Article
- Evaluation of the establishment of a national task force - A systematic measure to manage critical drug shortages in hospitals.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2023Article
- Shortages of Medicines to Treat COVID-19 Symptoms during the First Wave and Fourth Wave: Analysis of Notifications Reported to Registers in Austria, Italy, and Spain.Pharmacy (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- From bad to worse: the shortage of fibrinolytics.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2023Article
- Issues affecting supply of palliative medicines into community pharmacy: A qualitative study of community pharmacist and pharmaceutical wholesaler/distributor perspectives.Exploratory research in clinical and social pharmacy · 2022Article
- What impact does medicines shortages have on patients? A qualitative study exploring patients' experience and views of healthcare professionals.BMC health services research · 2021Article
- Article
- Time spent by hospital personnel on drug changes: A time and motion study from an in-and outpatient hospital setting.PloS one · 2021Article
- How to address medicines shortages: Findings from a cross-sectional study of 24 countries.Health policy (Amsterdam, Netherlands) · 2020Article
- Results of EAHP's 2019 Medicines Shortages Survey.European journal of hospital pharmacy : science and practice · 2020Article
- Article
- Medicine Shortages: Gaps Between Countries and Global Perspectives.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2019Article
- Shortage of Albendazole and Its Consequences for Patients with Cystic Echinococcosis Treated at a Referral Center in Italy.The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2018Article
- The current status and effects of emergency drug shortages in China: Perceptions of emergency department physicians.PloS one · 2018Article
- Systemic Measures and Legislative and Organizational Frameworks Aimed at Preventing or Mitigating Drug Shortages in 28 European and Western Asian Countries.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionSupply problems of drugs are an increasing and worldwide problem, also in Belgium. Hospital pharmacists try to manage drug supply problems to minimize the impact on patient care. This study aims to quantify in a detailed manner how much time employees of 17 Belgian hospital pharmacies spend on drug supply problems.
methodsDuring six months, employees of Belgian hospital pharmacies filled in the daily time spent on drug supply problems using a template containing all steps which can be executed to manage drug supply problems. Additionally, Belgian hospital pharmacists were asked to report the drugs which experienced drug supply problems together with the solution for this problem.
resultsHospital pharmacists spent a median of 109 minutes a week on drug supply problems, with a minimum of 40 minutes per week and a maximum of 216 minutes per week. Fifty-nine percent of the total time spent on drug supply problems was executed by hospital pharmacists, 27% by pharmacy technicians; the rest was performed by logistic or administrative personnel. About one third of the total time spent was invested in gathering information on the supply problem. About two third of the supply disruptions caused drug shortages, meaning there was a need to switch to another (generic) therapeutic alternative. For most drug shortages, a Belgian generic medicine could be found. However in some cases, the alternative had to be ordered abroad or for some drug shortages, no alternative was available.
conclusionThese exploratory results on time spent by hospital pharmacists on drug supply problems in Belgium highlight the economic impact of drug supply problems for hospital pharmacies. A fully reliable, daily updated list on the federal agencies websites would be a major help to hospital pharmacists.
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