At the Becker's ASC 21st Annual Meeting on Oct. 24 in Chicago, guest speaker Ann Geier, RN, CNOR, CASC, vice president of clinical informatics and surgery at SourceMedical, discussed ASC supply chain excellence.
"Beware of the man who won't be bothered with details," said Ms. Geier, quoting American publisher William Feather. Supply chain management is all about the details, according to Ms. Geier.
Mind these five details for supply chain excellence:
1. Utilize a software system. Manage all ordering and inventory digitally to prevent fraud. Enter every item bought on the computer, including office supplies, advises Ms. Geier. "There is a lot that can happen in your materials management system," she says. "Money can just bleed out of the center without you even knowing it."
2. Standardize inventory process. Start the inventory process before the ASC opens. It will take several weeks to set up an inventory module and train personnel, according to Ms. Geier. This includes standardizing item categories and descriptions, creating a method to manage preference cards and setting up a system to store inventory. Ms. Geier recommends electing one person to enter data. "I'm a real stickler on this," she says.
3. Stay on top of ordering. Pay attention to the distributor's frequency and don't over-order, says Ms. Geier. Order enough supplies to last until the next delivery and do not tolerate drop ship charges. Consign products when possible, especially implants, she says. "We, as a surgery center industry, lose so much money on implants," says Ms. Geier. Some companies offer consignment programs specifically for ASCs.
4. Save with a GPO. "As a nurse who is an administrator, you might think, 'I don't have time to look at all this data.' My message to you is you don't have time not to look at this stuff," says Ms. Geier. Tracking data is vital to keeping costs down. Ms. Geier also advises working with a group purchasing organization to drive costs down and negotiating discounts with distributors and vendors.
5. Befriend vendors. Vendors can be allies to ASCs, Ms. Geier says. They have intricate knowledge of their products and the operating room environment. Make sure to maintain honesty and integrity in relationships with vendors to avoid triangulation between vendors and physicians.
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