An effective Business Impact Analysis (BIA) identifies not only the people, facilities, technology, and suppliers required to perform critical business functions, but also the vital records that enable those functions to continue during and after a disruption.
For Pharmaceutical Procurement and Supply Management, these records provide the evidence, operational information, regulatory documentation, contractual commitments, and inventory data necessary to ensure the uninterrupted procurement and supply of medicines across Singapore's public healthcare institutions.
Vital records support the continuity of essential operations by preserving information that cannot be easily recreated within an acceptable timeframe.
These records include pharmaceutical demand forecasts, supplier qualification documents, procurement contracts, purchase orders, regulatory approvals, inventory records, temperature monitoring logs, recall documentation, and audit trails.
The loss or inaccessibility of these records could significantly delay procurement activities, compromise regulatory compliance, disrupt medicine distribution, and affect patient safety.
Records management and information governance are fundamental components of Business Continuity Management.
Consistent with the principles of ISO 22301 and ISO 15489 (Records Management), organisations should identify, classify, protect, and maintain vital records throughout their lifecycle. Both electronic and physical records require appropriate protection through secure storage, backup arrangements, access controls, retention policies, and disaster recovery measures.
Clearly assigning custodianship for each category of vital records ensures accountability and supports timely recovery during disruptive events.
Table P6: Vital Records for CBF-2
|
Sub-CBF Code |
Sub-Critical Business Function |
Description of Vital Records |
Media Type |
Location |
In Whose Care |
|
CBF-2.1 |
Pharmaceutical Demand Forecasting |
Demand forecasts, historical consumption data, forecasting models, hospital utilisation reports |
Database Record |
Enterprise Data Warehouse and Business Intelligence Platform |
Supply Planning Department |
|
CBF-2.2 |
Pharmaceutical Requirements Planning |
Procurement plans, replenishment schedules, demand consolidation reports |
Electronic |
ERP Procurement System |
Procurement Planning Unit |
|
CBF-2.3 |
Approved Drug Catalogue Management |
Approved pharmaceutical catalogue, formulary records, product specifications, approval history |
Hybrid (Electronic and Paper) |
Enterprise Document Management System (EDMS) |
Pharmacy Governance Unit |
|
CBF-2.4 |
Supplier Qualification and Evaluation |
Supplier qualification records, audit reports, quality certifications, due diligence documentation |
Electronic |
Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) System |
Strategic Sourcing Department |
|
CBF-2.5 |
Pharmaceutical Tender and Sourcing Management |
Tender documents, supplier proposals, evaluation reports, award recommendations |
Hybrid (Electronic and Paper) |
Electronic Tender Management System and EDMS |
Procurement Department |
|
CBF-2.6 |
Contract and Pricing Management |
Executed procurement contracts, pricing agreements, contract amendments, rebate schedules |
Electronic |
Contract Lifecycle Management System |
Procurement Contract Management Unit |
|
CBF-2.7 |
Purchase Order Processing |
Purchase orders, approval records, supplier acknowledgements, transaction logs |
Database Record |
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) System |
Procurement Operations Team |
|
CBF-2.8 |
Regulatory and Product Compliance Verification |
Product registration certificates, regulatory approvals, quality compliance records, import documentation |
Hybrid (Electronic and Paper) |
Regulatory Compliance Repository |
Regulatory Affairs Unit |
|
CBF-2.9 |
Pharmaceutical Supply Scheduling |
Delivery schedules, shipment plans, logistics coordination records, transport documentation |
Electronic |
Logistics Management System |
Logistics Coordination Team |
|
CBF-2.10 |
Pharmaceutical Receipt and Inspection Coordination |
Goods receipt records, inspection reports, batch verification records, receiving logs |
Database Record |
Warehouse Management System (WMS) |
Warehouse Operations Department |
|
CBF-2.11 |
Cold Chain and Controlled Storage Coordination |
Temperature monitoring logs, equipment calibration certificates, environmental monitoring reports |
Database Record |
Cold Chain Monitoring System |
Cold Chain Operations Team |
|
CBF-2.12 |
Pharmaceutical Inventory Replenishment |
Inventory records, stock movement reports, replenishment transactions, safety stock reports |
Database Record |
Inventory Management System |
Inventory Control Department |
|
CBF-2.13 |
Drug Shortage Monitoring and Mitigation |
Drug shortage alerts, alternative sourcing assessments, supplier communications, mitigation plans |
Electronic |
Enterprise Risk Management Repository |
Procurement Risk Management Team |
|
CBF-2.14 |
Supplier Performance Management |
Supplier scorecards, performance reviews, corrective action records, service level reports |
Electronic |
Supplier Performance Management System |
Supplier Relationship Management Team |
|
CBF-2.15 |
Pharmaceutical Recall Coordination |
Product recall notices, traceability reports, distribution records, recall execution logs, stakeholder communications |
Hybrid (Electronic and Paper) |
Recall Management System and EDMS |
Quality Assurance Department |
|
CBF-2.16 |
Procurement Risk Monitoring |
Procurement risk registers, supply chain risk assessments, incident reports, business continuity assessments |
Electronic |
Enterprise Risk Management (ERM) System |
Enterprise Risk Management Department |
|
CBF-2.17 |
Pharmaceutical Procurement Information Management |
Procurement master data, audit trails, procurement records, metadata registers, document indexes |
Database Record |
Enterprise Content Management (ECM) System |
Records and Information Management Department |
|
CBF-2.18 |
Pharmaceutical Procurement Reporting and Governance |
Executive reports, procurement dashboards, governance committee minutes, compliance reports |
Electronic |
Business Intelligence Platform and EDMS |
Procurement Governance Office |
The identification of vital records enables ALPS Healthcare to determine the information assets that are essential for maintaining Pharmaceutical Procurement and Supply Management during disruptive events.
These records preserve the operational, regulatory, contractual, and governance information required to continue procuring medicines, coordinating suppliers, managing inventory, demonstrating regulatory compliance, and supporting informed management decisions.
Without timely access to these records, even well-designed continuity strategies may be significantly impaired.
Protecting vital records is also fundamental to maintaining regulatory compliance, patient safety, and operational continuity.
Procurement contracts, supplier qualification records, product registration documentation, inventory records, temperature monitoring logs, and recall documentation provide evidence that pharmaceutical procurement activities have been conducted in accordance with organisational policies and applicable regulatory requirements.
Their continued availability supports both routine operations and incident response activities.
Effective records management contributes directly to successful recovery by ensuring that vital information is securely stored, regularly backed up, protected against unauthorised access, and recoverable within defined recovery objectives.
Assigning clear custodianship for each category of record establishes accountability for its maintenance, protection, retention, and recovery.
Together with secure electronic repositories, appropriate physical storage, disaster recovery arrangements, and sound information governance practices, these measures strengthen ALPS Healthcare's organisational resilience and ensure that critical pharmaceutical procurement operations can continue during and after major disruptions.
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