Medicine Wastage in Private Clinics: Drug Suppliers’ Perspective on the Causes and Measures to Reduce It
Abstract
This study examines the issue of medicine wastage in private clinics from the perspective of drug suppliers in Hong Kong. Medicine wastage refers to unused or expired medication along the supply chain, and it poses significant challenges to healthcare systems worldwide. In the private healthcare sector of Hong Kong, there is a notable issue of medicine wastage, resulting in considerable economic costs and environmental hazards. The paper explores the causes of medicine wastage, including the inefficient business model of private clinics, the frequent use of general medicines, the decline in medical tourists, disruptions in the supply chain due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the lack of medicine recycling policy and facility. Additionally, the paper suggests implementing a centralized medicine procurement and inventory management system, separating medicine prescribing and dispensing, and developing a medicine recycling policy to reduce medicine wastage in Hong Kong.
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References
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Copyright (c) 2024 Calvin Cheng, Sheung Man Yuen, Shun Mun Helen Wong
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