Implementation of a unique and unequivocal code for the identification of medicines and medical products in the province of Salta

Abstract

The role of the Department of Pharmacy and Sterilization of the Ministry of Public Health of Salta is to generate the centralized selection and purchase of medicines and medical products for all health providers in the province. The circuit begins when it generates the monthly purchase order, which passes through different sectors: Purchases, Suppliers awarded in the public tender, Logistics Company OCASA (Organization Courier Argentina SA), hospitals and health centers. The Department detects that each sector uses different nomenclatures for the same product, which leads to problems related to the patient safety and the rational use of resources. For this reason, it designed and implemented a unique and unequivocal codification of medicines and medical products to be used by all the staff involved in the management of the process from selection to administration. In turn, technical reports of codified medical products were prepared for access by hospitals and health centers. The task was approved by Ministerial Resolution N°. 660, calling it UPCS (Unique Provincial Codification of Salta). This work constitutes an improvement to prevent the occurrence of adverse events due to errors in the nomenclature and guarantees the proper use of resources. In addition to the basic, reliable and useful complete information of the technical reports of medical products, this is a consultation tool for health personnel at the time of the request for provision, use and/or reprocessing that benefits the patient and reduces erroneous purchases.