Patient Safety Challenges in Hospital Supply Chain

The current statistics from the healthcare supply chain are far from reassuring. The year 2022 saw a concerning 8.8% increase in recall events in the U.S. medical device industry, with numbers shooting up from 837 to 911 within a year. On average, about 0.5 to 1 percent of items sitting in hospital supply rooms are recalled items, many being high-risk implants.

A study by Cardinal Health unveiled that 24% of healthcare providers have either seen or heard about expired products being used on a patient. In addition to this, 8% of all disposables expire annually on hospital shelves. These figures highlight an urgent issue in the healthcare system – the unintentional but dangerous use of expired or recalled medical devices on patients.

The Realities of Recall and Expiration

When devices are recalled, it's for good reason. And expiration dates on medical products are not just numbers but an important indicator of the product's stability, strength, quality, and purity. The alarming presence of these items in a hospital's inventory points to a glaring issue in the healthcare supply chain, putting both patients and hospitals at substantial risk.

The Burden of Manual Inventory

The reliance on manual inventory contributes significantly to this problem. The same Cardinal Health study disclosed that nearly 20% of a clinician's workweek is consumed by supply chain management tasks. A substantial 83% still resort to manual counting, further highlighting the inefficiency and outdatedness of the current system. This manual method leads to significant wastage costs, with one operating room acknowledging a staggering $80,000 a year in wastage due to expired products.

The Shortcomings of Current Inventory Systems

Advanced inventory management systems in many hospitals fail to provide comprehensive and up-to-date information. Despite the high costs and complexity, these systems often miss out on vital details like expiration dates and lot numbers. The fast-paced environment further exaggerates the issue, creating discrepancies between the recorded inventory data and actual on-shelf items.

Moving Towards Enhanced Inventory Management

It’s crucial to go beyond traditional inventory management systems and incorporate technologies that offer comprehensive insights into available supplies and their viability. One such promising solution is the unique device identifier (UDI) scanning. Implemented in 2017, all manufacturers now use these standardized barcodes, containing all essential details, including expiration dates and lot numbers. With proper scanning technology, such as SxanPro's JUDI or LINK, hospitals can conduct efficient and thorough inventory checks, ensuring all their supplies are safe and up to date.

The Urgency of De-risking the Supply Chain

The consequences of the current systems are serious and directly threaten patient safety. Hospitals must take decisive steps to de-risk their supply chains. Adopting advanced and efficient technologies like UDI scanning can significantly alleviate these risks, ensuring safer and more effective patient care alongside improved financial sustainability for healthcare providers. The time to act is now, for the betterment of both hospitals and the patients they serve.