Improving Ward Consumables Management for Nurses

Nursing activities in the general ward involve the use of consumables for various procedures and patient care needs. The current inventory management process relies on the estimation of par level based on historical consumption patterns, which has a lag of 3 months or more. As a result, manual tracking and ad hoc calls for top-ups are still necessary, consuming valuable human resources.

Moreover, inefficiencies in consumables management, such as running out of certain supplies when they are needed, directly lead to delays in patient care, increased nurse stress, and potential risks to patient well-being. When this happens, nurses are forced to embark on frenzied searches for the supplies they need, rushing from ward to ward or placing immediate orders. Even a 5-minute procedure can easily turn into an hour-long search. Nurses managing the ward are also drawn into these frenzied searches as they are the only ones with the capacity to make immediate orders within the hospital system, diverting their attention from their own patients.

The Opportunity

The opportunity lies in developing a targeted solution that streamlines consumables management. Such a solution would not only reduce the workload on nurses but also enhance patient care and minimize waste by ensuring that the items required for timely care is always available and ready.