Patient product availability through the use of systems thinking: developing coherent relationships.

The traditional techniques of quality improvement, such as just-in-time delivery, can only go so far in dealing with materiel management issues. A further step is necessary: the implementation of systems thinking. This type of thinking focuses on the interconnectedness of all the members that exist throughout the system. This article explains the nature of systems thinking and how it can be used in materiels management to describe and improve the availability of materiels needed.