Reflections on a Dobutamine Shortage in an Academic Health System: A Roadmap for Risk Reduction

Abstract

In a landscape of increasingly frequent and severe drug shortages, this article describes an interdisciplinary strategy for managing a nationwide shortage of dobutamine in an academic health system. The authors outline an approach that centers on leveraging information technology resources, minimizing waste, conserving supply, and centralizing supply. These efforts, which enabled the organization to consistently supply dobutamine to those patients who needed it most, could form a model for health systems to follow during future drug shortages.