Nurse leaders are often involved in decisions about whether to purchase, lease, or build automated supply dispensing systems. Also called point-of-use stations, these systems can help bring supplies and pharmaceuticals closer to patients, improving safety and reducing the time nurses spend hunting down needed items.
The automated systems can also help hospitals keep better track of what supplies are used by what patients, which helps ensure that the patients (and their insurers) get charged for supplies.
Hospitals can purchase or lease these automated systems, with costs running from $100,000 to several million. However, one vendor reports that the cabinets will pay for themselves within six to 12 months. (Torner, N., “Keeping Track with Point of Care Stations,” Materials Management in Healthcare, April 2008.)
Below are some articles that can help nurse leaders understand the pros and cons of various types of automated supply systems:
Barlow, R.D., “Doing More with Less: Redefining Inventory Organization. Healthcare Purchasing News, Nov. 2008.
“Doing the Box Trot for Data, Efficiency and Safety. How Can Automated Supply Management Systems Be Improved? Healthcare Purchasing News, March 2006.
Barlow, R.D., “Open and Shut Case: Debating the Pros and Cons of Automated Supply Storage Systems,” Healthcare Purchasing News, May 2005.
Barlow, R.D., “Supply Storage Systems: Silver Bullet or Silver Lining for Cost Management?” Healthcare Purchasing News, June 2004.