Improving surgical inventory management: A guide for ASCs

But this isn’t just a matter of weaving together inventory best practices. ASCs have unique inventory control needs, meaning that what works for another medical facility might leave you without the surgical supplies necessary to ensure timely service. The reality is that you need inventory solutions that fit your niche in the healthcare industry.

Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to make surgical inventory management work for your ASC. Let’s take a look at your top choices and how to implement them.

Benefits of better inventory management

Supply management impacts everything that happens from the waiting room to the operating room. That means your medical staff and even your patients themselves are relying on your inventory management system — and, by extension, your budget, supplier relationships and an unpredictable supply chain.

With all of these moving parts to juggle, it’s no surprise that many ASCs are looking for ways to simplify and improve their inventory strategies. Although this addresses much of the frustration and worry in supply chain management, it introduces a long list of other benefits, including:

• Reduced costs: Having too much inventory can lead to wasted money, but the same can be true of too little inventory. The right supply approach helps you find the balance that saves you from upcharges on quick turnarounds while minimizing requirements for a huge backup supply on-site.
• More reliable access: There’s power in having what you need when and where you need it. This reliable access means you don’t have to stress out about miscalculations or unexpected requirements; you’ll know you can always get the necessary supplies, including cold medications and controlled substances.
• Better patient outcomes: When medical equipment is always on hand and ready to go, your patients benefit from a more organized, confident approach from your clinical staff and other team members.
• Improved analytics and tracking: Having a scalable, predictable plan for supply ordering makes it easier to analyze your needs, track inventory data and address any gaps in your strategy.
• Increased efficiency and productivity: When your teams don’t have to worry about where their supplies are coming from, they can focus on providing fast, accurate patient care without distractions.
• Fewer industry challenges: Some issues go hand-in-hand with healthcare — but an effective surgical inventory management approach cushions you from the worst impacts of shifting supply chains and fluctuating costs.

How ASCs can improve surgical inventory management

As with almost anything in the healthcare industry, the “why” of inventory strategies is important — but it’s the “how” that represents real progress. Here are a few tips and best practices to help your ASC master medical inventory management:

Low Units of Measure

In the low unit of measure (LUM) approach, you buy products in the lowest units available to save the very limited space in your practice. Skipping the bulk-buying process allows you to purchase what you need so you don’t overpay for supplies or medical devices that will sit in storage.

GPO Maximization

A Group Purchasing Organization (GPO) can leverage multiple suppliers’ inventory needs to secure discounts. If you maximize the benefits of a GPO, you’ll have an easier time managing inventory levels at better prices and mitigating supply chain risks by having a wider network of suppliers.

Inventory Data Tracking

Without inventory data tracking, you’re essentially relying on guesswork to determine order sizes and frequencies. Instead of wasting time, money and energy on uncertainties, implement tools that help you capture and analyze data from across your medical facility. This will help enable demand forecasting and empower fast, informed decisions based on day-to-day realities.

Streamlined and Improved Technology

There are all kinds of inventory management software, and each comes with its own technological best practices. Your best bet is to create a digital strategy that aligns your needs with actionable steps, helping every staff member know exactly how to use your tech to its full potential.

Control Methods

Inventory control methods provide different strategies for the ordering process, but each has its pros and cons. While it’s important to understand your options, it’s far more critical to make a decision based on your facility’s needs, which sometimes means combining or customizing approaches.

Communication Improvements

Ensure your teams have the tools and channels necessary to communicate resourcing needs, request medical equipment or keep notes about supplies. This helps keep everyone on the same page and informs your inventory management strategy at multiple levels.

Inventory management: Where to begin

It’s important to remember that with ASC inventory needs some of the best practices out there might not be practical for your facility. The objective is to focus on specific, concrete goals that can scale to ensure you have the right medical supplies at the right times.

Here are three ideas to get you started:

Securing Reliable Distribution

You need distribution you can count on. That’s why it pays to look for a few key offerings:

• Order accuracy: Get peace of mind knowing you’ll get exactly what you ordered and paid for, eliminating unpleasant surprises.
• Timely and flexible product delivery: From next-day* and early morning delivery to dynamic ETA systems, getting items on time should be a priority.
• Ease of use: The best solutions put you in charge of replenishment with user-friendly tools for ordering, tracking and more.

Choosing a Single Provider

Multiple providers can introduce confusion and delays to any kind of asset management, but the stakes are particularly high for medical supplies. Streamline your partnerships by choosing a single provider capable of building a lasting, personalized relationship. For example, ASCs can benefit from surgery center setup services, automated controlled substance ordering and other solutions — from just one source.

Building on Scalable Solutions

Scalability is important in healthcare. Look for scalable solutions like equipment storage options that can be built around your changing needs. It’s also smart to think about customizable ordering, which enables you to change your approach based on demand forecasting, budget restrictions, new inventory control strategies and more.

The good news is that these possibilities are right at your fingertips with McKesson. Our solutions help address challenges of all shapes and sizes, from industry-wide issues to ASC-specific concerns. We’re your partners in every element of surgical inventory management, offering reliable, scalable, streamlined service that fits your needs — and with a 99.8% order accuracy rate and all-inclusive pricing, you can count on us.

To learn more, contact us today or log into our portal for existing customers.