THE MODEL FOR ESTIMATING THE APPROPRIATE MEDICAL SUPPLY INVENTORY RATE TO REDUCE THE INCIDENCE OF UNDERPAYMENT IN THE SIRINDHORN KHON KAEN HOSPITAL

Abstract

In the fiscal years 2022 and 2023, Sirindhorn Hospital in Khon Kaen Province exhibited an increasing trend in the incidence of incomplete general medical supply distributions, at 7.00% and 7.54%, respectively. Consequently, the researcher conducted a cross-sectional analytical study with the objective of examining the incidence of incomplete general medical supply distributions at Sirindhorn Hospital in fiscal year 2024 and estimating an optimal inventory turnover ratio for general medical supplies to reduce such incidents. The study utilized recorded data on general medical supply disbursements from the hospital's information system. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used for data analysis, with a significance level set at 0.05. The study revealed that in fiscal year 2024, the hospital's inventory comprised 616 general medical supply items, with a total disbursement value of 36,300,848 THB across 7,954 transactions. Among these, 764 transactions (9.61%) were incomplete. Using ABC analysis, the 616 items were categorized into Group A (140 items), Group B (189 items), and Group C (287 items). Group A experienced the highest incidence of incomplete distributions, at 10.08% (p-value = 0.002). When items were classified based on the purchase-to-usage value ratio, it was found that general medical supplies with a purchase-to-usage ratio of 1.51–2.00 times had the lowest incidence of incomplete distributions, at 1.91% (p-value < 0.001). Based on the findings, Sirindhorn Hospital should maintain a purchase-to-usage value ratio of 1.51–2.00 times for general medical supplies. However, for Group A supplies, maintaining a ratio of 2.00 times would be most effective in reducing the incidence of incomplete distributions while avoiding excessive inventory. This study was limited by the inability to include the value of general medical supplies stored in sub-unit inventories across various departments.