SKOKIE, Ill. — Topco Associates here has entered into a multi-year contract with Supplylogix, Grapevine, Texas, to provide pharmacy inventory management and demand forecasting services.
Terms of the agreement were not disclosed, but it allows Topco members the flexibility to “pay as they go” rather than incur up-front licensing fees,” Mark Wilgus, president and chief executive officer of Supplylogix, told SN. Topco was not immediately available for comment.
Topco members will use the inventory management application for over 60,000 pharmaceuticals sold across more than 1,000 pharmacy locations nationwide.
Historically, Topco pharmacies, as has been the case with others, have relied on pharmacists in each store to set replenishment levels manually for each drug they stock. This is labor intensive and can result in significant amounts of unproductive inventory, Wilgus explained.
Topco for the first time will be able to centrally control drug inventory at the NDC (National Drug Code) level with data-driven sales forecasting.
The technology also allows members to “load balance” unproductive inventory between stores.
“This is a good example of retailers honing their businesses by reducing what was once an assumed necessary expense while maintaining or improving customer-service levels,” said Wilgus.
“Supplylogix solutions are comprehensive, easy-to-use and will increase the efficiency and customers service of our member-owners’ pharmacies,” said Topco’s Curt Maki, vice president HBC/GM and pharmacy, in a press release.
