Hospital executives are increasingly recognizing the need for cost reduction and efficiency improvement in the face of shifting healthcare paradigms. One key area under scrutiny is the hospital supply chain, specifically the management of surgical implants and supplies that constitute a significant portion of supply costs. Traditionally, the top-down ordering approach, with physicians determining stock requirements, has led to inefficiencies, resulting in bloated inventories, expired items, and a lack of visibility into vendor-managed stock.
As hospitals seek ways to enhance inventory efficiency, a pivotal metric comes to the forefront: Inventory Turnover. This efficiency ratio gauges how often a hospital goes through its inventory in a specific period and is calculated by dividing the Cost of Goods Sold by Average Inventories. A low Inventory Turnover indicates excess inventory, while a high ratio suggests insufficient stock. By tracking this metric, hospitals gain insights into trends, allowing them to align inventory levels with procedural volume changes.
Implementing Inventory Turnover as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) involves measuring and tracking data on on-hand inventories and usage. While the textbook definition considers an average inventory value, end-of-month inventory can serve as a quick proxy. Monthly tracking can be achieved by annualizing the monthly usage data.
Setting achievable goals is crucial in improving Inventory Turnover. Comparisons with leading retailers like Wal-Mart and Target, which turn over inventory 7-10 times per year, offer benchmarks. Specialty hospital departments may achieve higher ratios (9-12 times per year), but procedural areas like Vascular Operating Rooms and Interventional Radiology often target 4-5 times per year due to varied product needs.
It’s normal for hospitals new to Inventory Turnover tracking to initially have ratios in the 1-2 times per year range. However, this metric provides the necessary insights to set targets and eventually meet or exceed industry best practices. Reliable and accurate usage data is vital for precise measurement, making systems like iRISupply from Mobile Aspects valuable tools in this pursuit. The success story of a community hospital in Illinois, which doubled its Inventory Turnover ratio within eight months using iRISupply data, underscores the potential for significant savings and improved efficiency.