4 tips to improve operating room supply management
Overcoming supply challenges and driving efficiency.
Healthcare organizations are always looking for ways to lower costs and improve caregiver satisfaction. That’s why leadership is increasingly focused on improving operating room supply management.
Operating rooms account for a significant portion of expenditures for healthcare organizations, and they can be a source of waste. From physician preferences around products to a lack of standardization to supply chain challenges, the operating room can be costly and inefficient.
“Pre-pandemic, clinicians were known to hold reserves of trusted products ensuring they had access to the right products at the right time,” said Angela Carranza, Medline manager of clinical resources. “As the pandemic induced supply shortages the security blanked was limited because oftentimes, there were not enough products to go around.”
With so many challenges, it’s understandable that so many organizations have heightened their focus on effective operating room inventory management. According to Carranza, they can drive efficiency with these tips.
1
Explore product substitutions when preferred products are unavailable
Physicians tend to prefer their tried-and-true products, and the task of finding alternatives can be daunting. In the face of COVID-19 induced supply chain shortages, many healthcare facilities had to consider product substitutions. While this process can be uncomfortable, it’s an opportunity for clinicians to reevaluate what they do and how they do it. Finding product substitutions can mean:
- Reviewing comparable products
- Exploring alternative options
- Finding resources to fit their specific needs
This process can lead to a more streamlined operation. Facilities can find greater operational efficiencies and cost savings.
Reprocessed medical devices are another form of product substitutions that facilities can leverage. Research confirms that Single Use Device (SUD) Reprocessing can provide devices as good or better than new ones. What’s more, preprocessed SUDs reduce the OR’s environmental impact and divert waste.
Reprocessed SUDs playing a crucial role in supplying ORs when many medical devices were in short supply during the pandemic. ORs can continue to reap these benefits as the medical supply chain normalizes.
2
Leverage data to make smarter decisions
Big data is driving organizational efficiency in a range of industries, and healthcare is no different. With the availability of new data analysis techniques, healthcare facilities can run their ORs more efficiently. Data can help facilities make more informed decisions about:
- Product mix
- On-hand quantity
- Replenishment unit of measure
It’s key for facilities to be aware of their purchasing behavior and product utilization. That way, they can understand what they really need. To truly understand what they need, it’s helpful to know their purchase volume and the unit of measure their products are purchased in.
Facilities can get help when it comes to leveraging data to improve their operations. In addition to working closely with their clinical team, they can engage their supply vendor to make sure that the data accurately reflects their operations. With a cohesive partnership between supply partners and clinical teams, it’s easier to drive efficiency and reduce supply spending.
3
Use surgical packs to deliver care with efficiency and accuracy
As facilities face staff shortages, reduced budgets and the consolidation of providers, surgical packs are a tool to help overcome these challenges. By using surgical packs, clinicians can access every item they need. The items are packaged and ready to go in both sterile and non-sterile formats.
Facilities can reap many benefits by using these packs:
- Reduce setup time
- Improve storage
- Boost productivity
- Reduce waste
- Create a standard of practice
- Optimize product utilization
- Drive clinical accuracy
Surgical packs achieve these benefits with features like color-coded labeling and pack inserts, which can lead to fewer picking errors, easier pack identification and more organized storage. That means more efficient, simplified operations and improved surgical outcomes.
4
Be flexible to achieve more effective operating room inventory management
Change is never easy, even for clinicians who work in a fast-paced environment like the OR. But it’s important for facilities to be flexible and adapt to what’s happening with the surgical supply chain. “We’ve seen so many, but necessary, product substitutions that many facilities have lost sight of the original products they used. Some have completely discontinued while there has been a hope of return for others,” Carranza continued.
“It’s so important now, more than ever, to understand clinical supply processes and facility-based needs. Surgical supply can have a dramatic impact on how clinicians deliver care, and these products are crucial in helping clinical teams do their job and do it with positive outcomes.”
Angela Carranza
Medline manager of clinical resources
Key takeaway
ORs are facing a range of challenges, from pressure to reduce costs to supply shortages. Facilities can drive effective operating room management by considering product substitutions, making data-driven decisions, using surgical packs and being mindful of and adapting to the surgical supply chain. When facilities follow these four tips, they can operate more efficiently.
