There are two main goals for keeping inventory organized:
- Helping the team to find exactly what they need when they need it quickly
- Know exactly what is on hand to prevent overordering and other ordering mistakes
Look at your storage areas and consider: Can you easily find what you need? Can you easily tell if something is missing or running low? If an emergency came in, would you feel comfortable finding something quickly? What about your team? The organization is crucial to avoid common pitfalls associated with disorganized and chaotic inventory.
Instead of placing inventory wherever there is space, a more structured approach ensures that items are stored logically and consistently. This organization prevents the frequent issue of being unable to find necessary items when needed.
Knowing what is in stock and when to reorder supplies is difficult without proper inventory management. This can lead to forgetting essential items or accidentally purchasing supplies already available, resulting in unnecessary expenses. A disorganized inventory also causes a significant loss of productivity, as the team spends valuable time searching for items instead of focusing on patient care.
Organization Tips:
- Each item should have a defined primary and secondary backstock location (if needed).
- Use labels, bins or other containers, and other organization tools like pharmacy dividers, etc, to ensure each team member knows where each item “lives,” and the item has a consistent, dedicated place.
- In storage closets, the most frequently used items should be in the middle rows. Heavy items should be placed near the bottom, and only light, infrequently used items should be stored on the top shelves.
- Use spice racks or other kitchen/pharmacy tools to create a zone or home for each item.
- Create a documented process (ideally, with pictures) or plan-o-gram to outline how the area should be organized and maintained.
