Blog Post:

Right Inventory, Right Place, Right Time…What Could Go Wrong?

May 2, 2019

Every supply chain manager faces the same challenges:

  • Optimize stock levels, balancing safe levels, and overstock concerns.
  • Have stock located conveniently where needed to minimize wasted motion of staff.
  • Making sure there are no out of stock disruptions.

These three issues are constantly being addressed and reviewed for the following reasons:

  • Patient safety
  • Cost reduction
  • Staffing efficiency

Hospitals are constantly trying to implement systems and devices to control and record the movement of stock so that they know what they have on hand, what is being used, and how often it is being used so that proper levels can be maintained. Unfortunately, all of these systems have a common weakness: the human factor. There isn’t a system out there that can’t be bypassed somehow, usually done with the best intentions. Time is a precious commodity in healthcare. When we install systems to track and monitor the movement of products, they are often viewed by staff as roadblocks to timely and efficient patient care. People will find a way around these roadblocks, resulting in decisions being made based on bad data. Unless you are using regular and verifiable inventory practices to monitor and adjust, the value of your data will decline rapidly.

Three steps for maintaining accurate data

MEASURE – Conduct a baseline inventory. Count everything. Know what you have and where it resides.

MONITOR – Cycle count your stock. Establish parameters for frequency of cycle counting based on value and movement.

ADJUST – Fine tune Min-Max levels, Par quantities, and product placement based on your findings.

MEASURE – MONITOR – ADJUST™

Contact us today so that we can help you on your way to streamlining an efficient Materials Department customized to your needs.

Clinical Inventory
Physical Data Capture of Inventory Supplies

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Perpetual System Inventory Updating

DSC will perform a real time inventory count of perpetual supply areas while transactions are frozen. Once the counts are audited and verified, they are posted in the system.

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Cycle Count Program

Cycle Counts may be performed on any number of product types such as consignment, perpetual, implants.

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Pharmacy Inventory Services

Custom designed to your specific accounting requirements.

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Laboratory Data Capture & Inventory

We will conduct a physical count of your laboratory supplies using proper Units of Measure based on item master criteria.

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Comparative Analysis

Detailed report showing changes over time so that you can evaluate progress.

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Consignment Verification Program

We will schedule meetings with the manufacturer representatives and vendors of the consignment products to collect, review, and update contracts. When completed, DSC will conduct the initial consignment inventory.

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Surgical Tray Audits

Surgical trays are normally included in a standard physical inventory, however, this can be offered as a stand-alone service.

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Pre-Inventory Training

DSC can train your department heads so that all departments are conducting inventory operations consistently and in compliance with corporate directives.

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Special Projects

DSC can provide fully credentialed on-site resources for support of special and/or short-term needs.

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Standardization

Based on observation during an inventory and/or assessment, DSC can help identify which items are counted or not counted at specific locations.

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