Controlling inventory in a small specialty hospital.

Controlling inventory in a small specialty hospital has many parallels to controlling inventory in a large, acute care hospital. However, in a specialty hospital, there seems to be a plethora of specialty items that must always be on hand in ample supply. To achieve a significant inventory reduction, a strategic plan was developed that revolved around training sessions with the materiel management team, meetings with key hospital staff, and the establishment of two prime vendor contracts. In 1991, the annual inventory value in the general storeroom was approximately $2.3 million; in 1992, the inventory value was $1.6 million, and the projected inventory value for 1993 is $1.2 million. Implementing a just-in-time program to control inventory is best achieved through a collaborative effort with all of the materiel management team feeling a sense of contribution as well as receiving recognition from hospital administration.