Career survival strategies for materiel managers

The skill sets and attitudes required for materiel management professional survival continue to change. Just as the industry has evolved for calculators and three-part forms, so too must today's managers evolve into facilitators and information-oriented management. While these new skills are being perfected, three focused strategies initiated right now can enhance your chance for survival. First, get to know your customers intimately. Go to their meetings. Tour their departments. Second, assume responsibility and report materiel cost data that has meaning to senior management and customers. Fill rates and inventory turns offer little value to other managers, but supply cost per discharge can be of value. Third, be proactive in competing with outsourcing competitors. Do not wait until they are on your doorstep before developing a strategy to compete.     

An investment perspective for hospital materiel managers

Materiel managers are making investments every time they authorize capital, supply, or personnel requisitions on behalf of their departments or organizations. While not as formal as external investments in securities or the like, internal investments are even more critical to the organization's success and carry the same fiduciary obligations. Generating an acceptable return is a necessity rather than an option as concerns internal investments; the same formal analysis that is applied to external investments should be extended to internal ones as well. Adopting an investment perspective is a critical first step in seeing internal initiatives as investments and obtaining an appropriate return.     

Organizational change and survival skills for materiel managers

In an effort to be cost effective and meet changing customer needs, organizations are evolving in their structure. In this environment, leading edge organizations change their culture and create knowledge to continuously improve. Hospital materiel managers need to understand and support their organization's culture changes and respond by adapting or acquiring new skill sets.     

Customer-centered problem solving

If there is no single best way to attract new customers and retain current customers, there is surely an easy way to lose them: fail to solve the problems that arise in nearly every buyer-supplier relationship, or solve them in an unsatisfactory manner. Yet, all too frequently, companies do just that. Either we deny that a problem exists, we exert all our efforts to pin the blame elsewhere, or we "Band-Aid" the problem instead of fixing it, almost guaranteeing that we will face it again and again.     

Literacy: a problem that managers must handle

Patient and employee illiteracy is a problem that health care managers must deal with. More than half of all Americans may be unable to read and understand written materials used in hospitals, clinics, and other health care facilities. There is a mismatch between employees' and patients' reading level and the reading level of most written materials used by health care facilities. This can lead to noncompliance with treatment, missed appointments, wrong dosage of medications, uninformed consent, and undo fear among patients. Employees who are unable to read directions or policies and procedures are not able to do their jobs efficiently. There are things that managers can do to make written materials more user-friendly.     

Reengineering materiel management for strategic placement

The future of a hospital's materiel management function will depend on how well aligned it is with the institution's strategic direction. A sleek, customer-directed, information-rich supply process will provide the competitive edge. A reengineering mindset is needed to meet the challenge.     

Off-site materiel management

Supplies for a chronic dialysis unit are critical to operations. Planning, training, and computer-assisted database management allow for successful management of supply purchasing, inventory control, receiving, and record-keeping by a technician without any prior materiel management experience.     

Tomorrow's materiel management executive today

As materiel management executives in today's market, the challenges of not only operating effectively but with fewer resources is a reality that has no end in sight. The role of the materiel executive in hospitals is moving from supply manager to resource consultant. This may be quite appealing to many of us; however, not all are prepared to assume these responsibilities. As a result, we find ourselves overwhelmed with information and examples of case studies from different facilities describing how they are resolving their individual issues. Reactions to these changes are met in different ways, ranging from marveling at others' imaginations to fear from not understanding how to commit to these radical new processes. Is there a proper way or a mold to use? I suggest not.     

Strategic imperatives for managing materiel into the next century

The next century of opportunity is less than a decade away. Materiel management must involve itself in the strategic changes occurring within the health care industry and its respective institutions. Those materiel managers who are aggressively ensuring that their operations are supported by a well-developed and well-orchestrated operational infrastructure are now well positioned to address the future challenges of this decade. Unfortunately, many other materiel managers are focusing their attention and efforts solely on the management of materiel for which they currently have control. Materiel managers must develop an acute awareness of the support needs of their respective organizations. Those who are not apprehensive about venturing from the traditional materiel management world will be exposed to incredible educational opportunities and will receive responsibilities of unparalleled organizational importance.     

Reengineering materiel management using computer technology

The Materiel Management Department in today's hospital is in a uniquely advantageous position. It can better support the hospital's mission by applying current techniques in material management systems automation together with current computing technology as part of a broad-based reengineering process. Materiel management executives, suppliers, software developers, and hardware manufacturers now have all the necessary tools to create and implement a flexible, cost-effective, complete, paperless system. The model system offers tremendous advantages in terms of increased productivity and reduced total cost. This article discusses the process and the tools and techniques that should be considered.     

The modern health care materiel manager

Today's successful materiel managers must possess a wide range of skills. They must above all be highly adaptable to change and influence others to accept rather than resist change. The role and responsibility of the materiel manager have expanded significantly, requiring higher levels of formal education. In conjunction with this, the quality of communication, both verbal and written, becomes essential. A high degree of human, conceptual, and technical skills must be employed to accommodate the many demands encountered. Finally, the successful materiel manager who feels confident and secure will hire others who do not mirror the manager's style, but rather allow for contrast of expression and technique.     

Managing materiel in a multidivisional corporation

By using centralized purchasing and prime vendor contracts, the Allied Services material management department has been able to handle very effectively the purchasing needs of this multidivisional health care complex. Through active enforcement of Allied Service's materiel management policies and procedures, the department continues to be able to acquire the products and services that are necessary to keep the many programs running. Most importantly, these products and services continue to be acquired while the three significant attributes of materiel management--quality, availability, and service--are maintained.     

The future role of materiel management

The objectives of this article are to review Dean Amer's forecasts and offer my personal observations as to why the forecasts were not completely accurate, review current business pressures and trends that present unprecedented opportunities for professional experts with leadership skills, and share a personal forecast as to what role materiel management can and should play in the future in manufacturing enterprises.