hand hygiene
hand hygiene
By Robert Lee
Are Supply Chain Executives Missing an Opportunity to Impact Patient and Staff Safety and Efficiencies ?
When I meet with supply chain executives and their staff , I often receive questions such as , “ Can you save us some money ?” “ Can you do some analysis on our current product mix and show us lower cost alternatives ?” The answers to these questions are “ Yes ” and “ Yes .” However , members of the supply chain must have a broader scope of cost reduction . Supply chain is the gateway to ideas , just as the emergency room and operating room are the gateways to initial patient interactions with that institution .
Is this your supply chain ?
SUPPLY CHAIN
Cost reduction
Supplies
SUPPLY CHAIN
Cost reduction Supplies Data Quality & Safety People Predictive Management
IDN Hospital A Hospital B Hospital C
IDN Hospital A Hospital B Hospital C
Model A
Model B
ACS Clinics
Physician Offices
Urgent Care
ACS Clinics
Physician Offices
Urgent Care
The modern supply chain organization has to be structured like Model B and led by executives who understand the holistic approach to this important resource . At the core of this model are the three Cs : Collaboration , Communication , and Creativity . We all know that collaboration and communication are key to a matrixed workflow , but why creativity ? The supply chain executive must lead by example and encourage out-of-the box thinking and ideas on value to the organization and not just be focused on price . The evolution of the supply chain executive goes well beyond cost savings from contract analysis and implementation of more cost-effective contract options . The opportunity is being the organizational leader who finds , evaluates , and presents pragmatic solutions to senior executives that go well past product conversion and implementation .
The role requires a holistic approach that views the patient ’ s and the organization ’ s continuum of care . The view should be
www . healthcarehygienemagazine . com • november 2023
Rehab
Long Term Care
Nursing Homes
Rehab
Long Term Care
Nursing Homes that what is best for the patient is congruent with what is best for the organization . For example , if there is a new surgical device that cost more but results in better outcomes ( such as reduced length of stay , reduced number of infections , reduced procedure time , etc .), instead of the singular focus on the cost of the device ; instead , the total impact of the device ’ s use presents a patient and financial benefit . To get at the overall analysis for the organization , it will require engagement with the various stakeholders in establishing metrics , tracking outcomes , and making sure results are validated . It requires assuming the role of the leader who presents to the organization opportunities that have been formulated with the key stakeholders , who will also be part of the initiative ’ s success .
So , let me present an idea that supply chain executives and their teams should investigate and why . The topic is systemwide hand hygiene compliance and surface decontamination . Current evidence-based studies ( proprietary ) indicate a 50 percent reduction in infections when an automated hand hygiene compliance technology is implemented . Additionally , evidence-based studies ( yet to be published ) around surface / room decontamination indicate almost a 99.9 percent reduction in contamination . Do you know what your facility infection rate is and the cost to service these ? Working with data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services ( CMS ) and from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ), and an integrated delivery network ( IDN ), it was determined that this IDN would spend $ 100 million over the next five years to service their current infections . By the way , the CMS data is only what has been reported , and this number could be higher .
So , here are some takeaways : 1 . Are supply chains focused on the appropriate metrics ?
2 . Are supply chains structured to support other issues beyond cost alone ?
3 . How does your supply chain approach value analysis ?
Is your supply chain just a purchasing group or is it a strategic resource that impacts both top-line revenue and bottom-line expense , while improving quality and safety for staff and patients ?
Robert Lee , BA , the CEO and founder of MD-Medical Data Quality & Safety Advisors , LLC , is the senior biologist and performance improvement consultant . MD-MDQSA is the home of The IPEX - The Infection Prevention Exchange , a digital collaboration between selected evidence-based solutions that use big data , technology , and AI to reduce risk of HAIs .
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