The Pharmacy Buyer…An Unknown Superhero

Pharmacy Buyers hold one of the most important financial and supply chain roles within a health system.  They are responsible for one of the largest budgets in the hospital and ensuring medications, used for routine and life-saving care, are always in stock.  This seemingly simple task, at first glance, is NOT so simple.

Pharmacy Buyers deal with the daily onslaught of new and ongoing drug shortages.  They are expected  to be the ears on the street for information regarding potential drug shortages and ahead of situations, to reduce the potential risk to their hospital and ultimately the patients. Buyers have thousands of unique line items they monitor and are required to keep in stock. Nevertheless, they also must avoid having too much stock because that is money sitting on the shelf, at risk of expiring. New medications and NDC’s are being added and removed from their formularies and purchasing catalogs every day.  Contracts and pricing are in constant flux. Often, they have over a hundred different NDC’s to choose from when ordering a single medication.  They place orders to numerous suppliers using a variety of mechanisms. Buyers order by using a vendor’s online catalog, calling customer service, and yes, some suppliers still require the order to be faxed.  I know, it’s CRAZY. 

On top of that, there’s generally no formal training for a Pharmacy Buyer.  They are hired, placed into the buyer position, and told to keep everything stocked…but not overstocked.  Buyers are under pressure to make certain they have the medications needed for patient care, and simultaneously stay within budget.  They are the first to take the fall when medications are not in stock, and the one to blame when items expire.

Being a Pharmacy Buyer is an impossible task…even for the most amazing and tenured buyers.  That’s why we built Trulla (www.trullarx.com).  Procurement Software built for the Pharmacy Buyer.  Trulla provides Buyers with the tools to make their impossible job possible!

I’ve met many remarkable Pharmacy Buyers from all around the country.  I tip my hat to all Pharmacy Buyers and ask that everyone else do the same.  Let them know you appreciate them and their work. 

​This is to you, Pharmacy Buyer…the Unknown Superhero of your hospital.