Purpose: This assignment aims to understand the role of operations management in

Purpose: This assignment aims to understand the role of operations management in hospital pharmacy. It will help students describe trends that have an impact on the pharmaceutical supply chain and pharmacy administration achieving operational excellence.
Instructions: The VA Medical Center’s pharmacy provides veterans refills on their prescriptions, and new prescriptions prescribed by their physicians. Refills are only available online, by phone through the automated refill service, or by mail. It usually takes up to 10 days to receive the refill if the automated refill service is used. Recently, a PBSC Veteran Student placed a refill order using the automated refill service that took less than 7 days to receive.
As the pharmacy operations manager at the VA hospital:
(1) Describe how the use of automation in the pharmacy impacts their supply chain?
(2) What new trends would you recommend the pharmacy implement to improve operational excellence?
Information to Know Before Getting Started
?West Palm Beach VA Medical Center PharmacyLinks to an external site.
?KEY WORD DEFINITIONS
Distributors-brokers, intermediaries, or other middlemen that aggregate supply, store inventory, and serve to connect the manufacturer with retailers and consumers.
Prescription-a doctor’s written order for medication, or other course of treatment.
Pharmacy-A facility that exists to fill and dispense drugs and medications that are prescribed by physicians or other caregivers.