This study evaluated the effectiveness of a new 72-hour delivery system (USXPRESS) for
pharmaceuticals purchased by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals from VA de
pots. Thirty-three test sites were compared with 11 matched sites using a pretest-posttest quasi-
experimental design. Outcome measures included inventory and transportation costs, storage
space, system satisfaction, and drug availability. As a result of USXPRESS, both the dollar value
of inventory and pharmaceutical storage space decreased in VA warehouses. Respondents were
more satisfied with USXPRESS than the previous system. The primary goals of reduced
inventory, decreased space needs, and increased satisfaction were met through USXPRESS.
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