A Reconsideration of Pharmacy Information System Using The First Expiry, First Out (FEFO) Method

Abstract

The Hospital Pharmacy is a business unit responsible for managing and distributing pharmaceutical products to support healthcare services. In 2016, the drug inventory data processing system
implemented at the Hospital Pharmacy still relied on conventional office software packages. Although these applications supported basic data recording activities, they were limited to data entry functions and lacked capabilities for automated inventory management and analysis. As a result, drug inventory processing activities continued to require manual intervention, leading to inefficiencies, longer processing times, and potential errors in monitoring stock availability and expiration dates. To overcome these limitations, an information system is required to improve the effectiveness and accuracy of medication inventory management by implementing the First Expiry First Out (FEFO) method. The FEFO method prioritizes the distribution and utilization of medications with the nearest expiration dates before products with longer expiration periods. By applying this approach,
the system can provide structured inventory management, reduce the risk of expired medication accumulation, minimize drug stagnation, and optimize pharmaceutical storage and distribution processes. The development of a FEFO-based hospital pharmacy information system is expected to enhance operational efficiency by automating inventory monitoring, supporting decision-making, and improving the accuracy of drug dispensing processes. Furthermore, this approach remains relevant in pharmaceutical logistics research over the following decade due to the increasing demand for reliable inventory control systems in healthcare organizations. The implementation of FEFO based systems represents an important step toward improving medication safety, reducing waste, and ensuring the availability of pharmaceutical products for patients.