Procedural department managers, such as cath lab directors and OR directors, see the challenges facing hospitals from a unique vantage point.
Like frontline clinicians, they are focused on delivering excellent patient care and addressing patient concerns. Like administrators, they are responsible for managing budgets to help meet the hospital’s financial objectives. And as managers, they pay close attention to the day-to-day frustrations of clinical staff. They wear many hats, which gives them a broad understanding on what’s working well and what isn’t.
We wanted to get their perspective on one of the most important factors in a hospital’s success: the supply chain. In a recent survey we asked 75 procedural department managers — along with a cross section of frontline clinicians, administrators, and supply chain decision makers — about their supply chain experiences and challenges. They offered valuable insight into the state of the hospital supply chain today.
Big Challenges and Day-to-Day Frustrations
In our survey, most department managers (56%) cited a financial concern, such as dealing with reimbursements or managing finances, as the single biggest problem facing their organization today. And nearly all (96%) said supply chain management played an important role in addressing their top concern.
However, many are frustrated with supply chain tasks and processes in their organization. In our survey, department managers were more likely than other respondents to see supply chain tasks as problematic. In fact, 30% of them consider supply chain tasks a “necessary evil,” and one in four says thinking about supply chain tasks “stresses them out.”
Four out of five (81%) department managers reported their organization experienced problems with overutilization and waste — the highest percentage of all the groups we surveyed. They were also more likely to note problems with documentation: Three out of four (77%) said increasing requirements around supply-related documentation caused problems in their organization.
They reported productivity losses as well. In our survey, 84% of department managers said spending time looking for supplies had a negative impact on their day-to-day productivity, the highest percentage of any group. Most (56%) said manual supply chain tasks, like physical counting or documentation, hurt their productivity. Department managers said they spend an average of nine hours per week on supply chain tasks — more than twice the amount of time they’d like to spend on these tasks. This is time they could be spending on patient care.
Finding Solutions and Help
Supply chain improvements, such as automated inventory systems, workflow simplification and storeroom optimization, can ease these frustrations and help department managers achieve their goals. Many department managers understand the benefits of an automated inventory management solution, like better charge capture, more time for clinicians to focus on patients, and enhanced clinician and supply chain workflow. But most still rely on manual systems. Only 19% of department managers are currently using RFID-enabled cabinetry, mobile, and point-of-use solutions.
What’s holding them back? Nearly half (47%) of department managers cited cost as a top barrier to implementing an automated solution in their department. Yet, health care organizations usually make back their investment in automated systems quickly, due to reduced waste, increased productivity, better charge capture, and other efficiency gains. Department managers may not have the bandwidth to explore potential supply chain solutions and investigate ROI. One in five said a top barrier to being more involved in supply chain decisions and discussions is that this work required too much time and took away from time with patients.
Department managers also said they’re looking to their medical-surgical distributor to play a bigger role in addressing supply chain issues and supporting operational efficiency in their organization. In fact, 88% of department managers said it was important that their medical-surgical distributor help someone in their position manage the supply chain and help ensure their hospital or has a seamless operational performance. They also noted the need for help with patient care: 91% wanted their medical-surgical distributor to help them serve patients more effectively as well as give recommendations that can be trusted and that are made with the patient in mind.
Procedural department managers are an invaluable resource in realizing the true potential of the supply chain. Their unique perspective into challenges across the hospital gives them great insight into supply chain needs and opportunities. With the support of hospital leaders and med/surg distributors, they can help bring about meaningful changes that reduce expenses, save time, and improve patient care.
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About Cardinal Health Supply Chain Survey
This study was fielded January 16-28, 2019, using an online survey methodology. The samples were drawn from SERMO's Online Respondent Panel of Health Care Providers, which includes over 600,000 medical professionals in the United States. The study included 306 respondents total from health care organizations varying in size, specialty and practice area. Respondents included frontline clinicians (n=81), supply chain decision-makers (n=75), hospital/supply chain administrators (n=75) and department managers (n=75).
All survey data on file at Cardinal Health.
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