Reengineering hospital materiel management

Reengineering involves significant change and dramatic rethinking of the business process. The expected result of these changed processes is dramatic improvement. Hospital cost pressures and technological change necessitate review or reengineering the process to enhance customer service at a lower cost. Three areas that yield significant results include reducing the cost of purchasing, implementing new technologies, and empowering teams to accomplish customer driven goals.     

Electronic data interchange: a strategic approach

The potential of EDI is virtually unlimited, but the success of any EDI initiative hinges on its ability to directly support strategies that achieve your institution's business objectives. At its most fundamental level, EDI technology automates current business practices, speeding up the exchange of business information. This application of EDI most often is found in a hospital's material management department. But EDI integrated internally within a hospital and externally with suppliers and vendors has the potential to go beyond simple automation and to transform processes. This is where the full value of EDI can be realized. No matter which level of EDI participation hospital management decides is appropriate to fulfill its business objectives and strategies, EDI will affect the entire institution's exchange of information with its internal and external audiences. The question management must answer is: Will the hospital's EDI strategy be offensive and managed, or defensive and reactive? Today's environment leaves no room for a "no-strategy" EDI option. The options are either to proactively shape EDI, or reactively play catch-up. EDI can work for you. Adequately developing an EDI game plan in support of your business objectives and calling on your suppliers and other trading partners to work with you will ensure EDI is an asset to your facility.     

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.