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Letter Re: Kanban: America's Ubiquitous "Just in Time" Inventory System--A Fragile House of Cards
Jim,
Having both worked in a hospital and worked for hospitals for the last
18 years I must loudly concur with "Mike the MD in Missouri".
As a service specialist in an un-named Level 1 trauma center I had
access to almost every inch of the facility(s) including the warehouses
where we stored our unused equipment and all the patient care products.
Naturally I was able to assess the on hand stock versus the use and
replenish rates at a glance. I was always amazed at how little there
actually was for a hospital in a city of
150,000 people.
Let me assure everyone that Mike the MD is absolutely correct. This,
is due largely to the hospitals spiraling cost of doing
business. The paltry or sheer lack of adequate funding to healthcare
facilities has caused management to resort to Just in Time (JIT) inventories.
Lean stock management is a necessity for all but the largest big city
hospitals and even those are lean.
The small rural hospitals are, by far, the leanest and also will be
the hardest hit if there is a disruption in transportation. Anyone
remember the phrase "the sacrifice of the few for the benefit
of the many"?
This mentality applies to rural hospitals. The big inner city hospitals
will get resupplied (albeit perhaps scantly) first.
It is incumbent upon each and everyone of us to have the appropriate,
on hand, quantities of prescription medicines, symptomatic medications
(helpful for those manning a LP/OP), med supplies in the form of gauze
pads, bandages, tapes and wound closures including the "medical
grade super glue" style, cleaners, skin preps, splints, wraps, towels,
antiseptics, soaps and shampoos (un/minimally scented), tooth past
and brushes, gloves, sutures (if possible), ointments, tools (medical
and dental) of all sorts. Don't forget crutches, walkers, (if possible)
a wheelchair, feminine hygiene
products, et cetera. Diabetic folks need to stock up heavily on syringes
and needles. [JWR Adds: And they should absolutely
stock as much insulin and test materials as possible without
using them
beyond
their
expiration dates. Be sure to label and conscientiously rotate these
supplies on a first in, first out (FIFO)
basis.]
Thanks to Mike the MD for broaching this topic and thanks also Jim
for the platform to which the topic can be addressed. - Joe from Tennessee
