There’s not only the cost of products that are discarded, but also the labor cost of returning unopened items back into inventory. Imagine the waste of both time and money this practice represents.
What can materials managers do to provide clinicians with the right products for each procedure, while supporting quality outcomes, controlling costs and improving workflow? Standardize. Here’s 3 steps to establishing your own standardization strategy:
- Set your formulary: Use distribution purchase data to identify common products for standardizing. The data analysis will answer such questions as: What are you using now? Where are the opportunities to consolidate these items?
- Update your preference cards: They need continual maintenance as physicians enter and leave your facility. Which products are needed for a given procedure, based on matching physician preference to your formulary?
- Build custom surgical packs: How many items from your preference card can you build into your pack? The aim is to include all the supplies you use every time in a pack to minimize the need to pull items off the shelf – but I want to reiterate, only add things you use every time you’ll use that pack. Doing so improves OR staff efficiency when preparing the back table for a case.
I hope these steps are helpful when you’re establishing your standardization strategy. If you’re feeling overwhelmed with the process, just remember, 90% is still an A. This is the first step, and you’ll continue to refine and optimize your packs and procedures as you go. Check out more ways to improve your surgery center by visiting cardinalhealth.com/surgerycenters.
At the Becker’s 32nd Annual Meeting: The Business and Operations of ASCs, taking place October 29-31 in Chicago, ASC leaders, surgeons and healthcare executives will explore strategies to drive growth, enhance operational performance, navigate reimbursement challenges and prepare for the future of ambulatory surgery. Apply for complimentary registration now.