Improving Operations in Medical Centers

Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC)

Client Challenge

Assess, organize, and standardize inventory volume and purchasing in Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) to improve operations.

Veterans Engineering re-engineered supply areas across 67 medical centers. Historical consumption patterns were assessed so inventory levels could be adjusted and unused items removed. All supply, distribution, and ordering processes between primary and secondary locations were revised. VE implemented Kan Ban and weight-based systems, eliminated duplicate products, and set appropriate PAR levels.

Client Impact

The extensive reorganization of the supply areas in VA hospitals has improved the quality of patient care, greater patient satisfaction, lower healthcare asset management costs, more efficient capacity/resource planning, improved employee and patient safety, and improved general asset management and inventory.