The ultimate goal of every healthcare team is to provide quality patient care, not to focus on materials management. For a supply chain to function seamlessly, though, products must be visible and accessible.
Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health shared the following insights with Becker's Hospital Review:
At Medical West Hospital in Bessemer, Ala., a Two-Bin Kanban solution with open-rack shelving is key. In this first-in, first-out (FIFO) system, nurses and clinicians are able to access items without opening or closing doors. This helps prevent expiration of supplies managed at the bulk level. Bins that store disposable supplies at data-optimized par levels are visible to the naked eye, while labeling and color coding help staff identify each item.
The system bolstered staff satisfaction and optimized workflows upon implementation at Medical West.
"I have had a lot of positive comments from nurses about how easy it is to find the product," says Allen Brazelton, director of supply chain at Medical West.
While opaque nursing cabinets are common in most hospitals, poor organization, clutter and a lack of visibility make it difficult to detect expired supplies.
Clinicians also reap benefits from a highly visual and automated solution like Two-Bin Kanban. Clinical team members at Medical West now have only one task — they simply scan the bin barcode using iPads. This makes training and compliance easy. Medical West saw benefits of the reduced complexity, not only in daily practice but also when training new staff members. "It’s easier to teach clinical staff this process," Mr. Brazelton says.
Reducing the time clinicians spend in the storeroom looking for supplies means they have more to spend at the bedside with patients. A recent case study conducted by Cardinal Health at Bellevue (Neb.) Medical Center found some nurses and clinicians spend as much as 80 percent less time retrieving supplies with the visible, hands-on Two-Bin Kanban system — proving that "out of sight, out of mind" can apply to the healthcare supply chain, too, if we're not careful.
If you would like to submit a supply chain tip, please email Mackenzie Bean at mbean@beckershealthcare.com.
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