Wholesaler Ordering and Purchasing in Pharmacy

Wholesale Purchasing

Most pharmacies purchase medications from full-line wholesalers like McKesson, Cardinal Health, and AmerisourceBergen. Wholesalers provide next-day delivery of thousands of products, allowing pharmacies to maintain lower on-hand inventory. The purchasing process involves daily orders based on par levels and immediate needs.

Group Purchasing Organizations (GPOs) negotiate contracts with manufacturers on behalf of multiple pharmacies, leveraging collective buying power for better pricing. The pharmacy's prime vendor (primary wholesaler) offers the best contract pricing and most frequent delivery schedule.

Purchasing Strategies

Just-in-time (JIT) inventory reduces carrying costs by ordering products to arrive shortly before they are needed. However, this strategy requires reliable supply chains and can be risky during drug shortages.

Pharmacy technicians may be responsible for generating purchase orders, receiving shipments, verifying orders against invoices, and properly storing medications. Controlled substance orders require additional documentation and verification.

Exam Review

Purchasing and supply chain knowledge is tested on the PTCB exam. Use our flashcards and mini exams to prepare.