Based on the scope of work, our assessment of Materials Management operations will help our clients answer the following key questions as they relate to Logistics operations:

• Is the current organizational structure conducive to lowest overall cost while maintaining or improving the service levels?
• Do we have appropriate staffing to conduct all logistics operations while taking into account operating conditions & culture?
• Are the functional processes standardized across our operations?
• Is our staff using the available technology to its fullest extent?
• How is our overall inventory performance in terms of minimizing capital needs and supply waste?

As part of our assessment our team is capable of addressing following functional areas:

• Loading Dock Operations
• Receiving Process
• Put-away Process
• Storeroom Operations
• Storeroom Layout effectiveness
• Staging areas
• Patient floor Supply Management – Last 100 feet
• Patient Room Supplies
• Surgical Supply Management & Case Cart process
• Supply Returns & Credits
• Courier Operations
• Linen Distribution
• High Value Supply Management – Cath lab, Special Procedures, Radiology
• Movable Patient Care Equipment Management
• Sterile Processing
• Customer Service Operations

Dock congestion is often an issue due to scheduling conflicts with incoming and outgoing vehicles; our professionals have conducted multiple such studies to help
alleviate dock congestion which includes both clean and soiled flows in and out of hospital loading docks. Here are key questions answered from our studies:

• How to alleviate traffic issues for vehicles coming in and out of loading docks?
• Based on available number of dock bays, how to schedule vendors in and out of loading dock?
• How to ensure that clean and soiled material flows are in compliance with JCAHO regulations?
• What options are available to dispose infectious waste including use of onsite equipment to convert them to regular waste?
• How to design dock layout with best locations to place cardboard bailors and composters?
• How to eliminate certain deliveries and pickups to reduce dock traffic?

How to minimize congestion where freight elevators create a bottleneck?
Our team uses following tools to study hospital docks:

• Time and Motion studies
• Use of cameras to study traffic patterns
• Interviews
• Analytical tools
• Benchmarking & Productivity standards

Receiving and non-stock supply delivery is one of the key operations within Supply Chain and Logistics arena. Here are key questions the management would typically seek answers for:

• Do we have appropriate staffing to handle receiving and distribution?
• Do we have appropriate equipment to handle the receiving and shipping activity?
• Do we have the right technology and processes to handle shipping and receiving?
• How to optimize and measure distribution of packages received and shipped?
• Is it the right strategy to distribute supplies to local clinics using receiving and
  shipping staff?

Our team uses following tools to study shipping and receiving operations:

• Time and Motion studies
• Use of cameras to study traffic patterns
• Interviews
• Analytical tools
• Benchmarking & Productivity standards

Storeroom typically serves as a key source of Med-surg supplies or a secondary source depending on if a hospital uses JIT supply delivery for their patient care units. Here are some key questions the management would typically seek answers for while evaluating their storeroom operations:

• Do we have the supplies appropriately organized within the storeroom?
• How to optimize storeroom layout for improved productivity?
• Do we have appropriate staffing to conduct all storeroom activities?
• Do we have appropriate material handling equipment to conduct all storeroom
  activities?
• Do we have the right technology and processes to conduct all storeroom operations?
• How to optimize and measure distribution performance using activity based approach?
• How to optimize storeroom inventory for all Med-surg supplies?
• What supplies need to be stored in storeroom only and not at each patient care unit?
• How to manage critical items that are typically requested STAT?

Our team typically uses following tools to study storeroom operations:

• Time and Motion studies
• Use of cameras to study traffic patterns
• Interviews
• Analytical tools
• Benchmarking & Productivity standards

Most operational productivity issues are typically related to process reengineering, standardization, and compliance. Our consultants not only understand the importance of
lean methodologies but have the “real world” experience in applying these methodologies coupled with Six-Sigma principles in the healthcare industry. Here are some key
questions our lean six-sigma approach could answer for the healthcare supply management teams:

• How to evaluate and document current supply chain processes and supply related clinical processes?
• How to use lean six-sigma principles in improving supply chain processes and related clinical processes?
• How to create a continuous improvement process to enable staff in embracing ongoing changes?
• How to train employees to understand and implement new processes?
• How to measure process compliance as it relates to supply chain operations?

Our approach of documenting existing processes helps identify approximately 20% of redundant activities that account for 80% of process delays leading to lower productivity.
On the other hand, use of Six-Sigma along with process standardization, reduces variability while eliminating errors or defects and improving service levels to 99.997%.