Improving Operations in Medical Centers

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

Solution: Veterans Engineering reengineered 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, and radio-frequency identification (RFID) and Wi-Fi-based real-time location systems (RTLS) were implemented to increase asset visibility.

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