In the ideal scenario, loaning medical sets allows surgeons to select the appropriate implant, device, or equipment and return any unused items after a procedure. This ensures cost-effectiveness for hospitals and safety for patients. However, in reality, customers frequently receive incomplete sets and assets for procedures. This issue is exacerbated by sets being misplaced and gathering dust in the warehouse. Why does this happen?
The short answer is that their processes lack full optimization. While they have made improvements over time, they still struggle with efficiency. Their solutions for managing loan processes often lack proper integration with their ERP system, resulting in limited visibility of data and processes.
Let us dive deeper into the loan set management process and discover what the ‘next level’ looks like.
Spoiler Alert for those of you who do not want to read till the end! It is one incredible tool called mymediset!
Go Mobile from the Very Start – The Initial Booking
It begins with an initial request from a Business Partner or a Sales Rep, such as John. A booking is generated for a specific procedure. Access and visibility is limited to John in the current process. Going mobile takes this process to a new level, whereby Patricia, our customer service personnel , can also create and manage bookings. Booking managed in a mobile solution enable collaboration and facilitates seamless booking processes.
The Availability Check
In an ideal scenario, the system automatically verifies availability of the requested set immediately after the booking is generated. This empowers individuals like John or Patricia to promptly explore alternatives if the set is unavailable. Elevating your loan set management software to the next level entails accessing real-time information about loan set availability!
Green Light – Let’s Pack and Ship!
When everything you need is available, the initial booking promptly triggers a reservation, which, in turn, generates an automatic picking list issued by the warehouse. The warehouse team then takes charge of dispatching and initiating the shipment to the customer. Advancing to the next level ensures that all these steps are entirely visible within the system in real-time. This means that John can conveniently use his mobile app to check that his requested medical equipment has been shipped to his customer, no matter where he is, ensuring he stays informed at all times!
Red Light – Let’s Find and Get It!
If the requested sets are unavailable, the ideal software conducts a comprehensive search across all inventories, including field inventory. Ideally, John can use his app to check if his requested set is available in the central warehouse. However, if not, he can quickly identify that his colleague Mathew, located just a few miles away, has one stored in his trunk stock! This feature is a real lifesaver. With an advanced system like mymediset, John or Patricia can effortlessly request a transfer of the required set from Mathew and ensure it arrives in time for the procedure.
The Procedure!
The loan set arrives on time and in perfect condition. The set is used in a surgical procedure or for a workshop or training. Full visibility is given at every point in time, meaning batch and serial numbers that are used are recorded for this specific patient/ training.
Welcome Back – Let’s Do a Check!
After the procedure or training, the loaned medical set is sent back to the manufacturer or distributor. Afterwards, it is inspected and prepared to be used for the next purpose. During inspection, the set is checked for its completeness and its quality condition. What implants were used in the procedure? Which implants need to be replenished? Have all instruments been returned? What is their condition? Is there any damage on returned implants or instruments?
For the inspection itself, you usually need staff that are well trained, detail oriented with a knack for working under pressure; time is money so sets need to be inspected accurately and quickly. Or you could bring it to the next level and go one step further; simply leave this work to modern technology like RFID, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and augmented reality.
Your Work Pays Off!
Invoicing can take place at various point in times. Either the consumption and invoice are recorded just after the surgery using a mobile app or the consumption is recorded during the inspection of a set and the missing implants are invoiced. Obviously, everything that was not returned must be invoiced in addition to optional service, loan, and other fees. If you want to take it to the next level, this step in the process should also be fully automated, meaning your software automatically issues the invoice once the inspection is completed. John and Patricia can track the status in their system, even in the app, at any time given.
Replenish
If your set was returned incomplete you need to make sure that the missing content is replenished. In a perfect world where the process of your loan set management has been optimized this happens automatically right after the inspection.
All Sterile?
When the set content is being sent out to a third party for sterilization, your software needs to be able to take that into account. This means that whenever John or Patricia are looking for a specific set, they must be able to see that it is currently out for sterilization. If you schedule further procedures with this certain set, your solution must automatically calculate the time needed for sterilization upfront. Bring it to the next level with mymediset to avoid any issues in the future!
Stay Flexible, All The Time!
Many times, the sets are circling around in the field, meaning they are stored in consignment, trunk stock, or in a Sales Rep’s inventory and are directly sent to a customer. For those cases, your software must map and track all those different inventory locations, inspection/sterilization steps and transfers in real-time, otherwise, you might lose track of your sets. Take it to the next level and implement a fully flexible solution that can map all those complex transfers and interlinks.
Schedule More!
Did you know that you can find the greatest potential for reducing your inventory when you improve your scheduling? When you work with an intuitive tool like mymediset that knows exactly where each set content currently is, when it will be returned, how long it will take for inspection, and all the subsequent steps like replenishing and sterilization, then (and only then!) you can bring it to the next level and schedule your loan sets the most efficient way!
The idea is your sets should never stand still! This is the only way to guarantee that you make the most turnover with the minimum inventory! SO go ahead and schedule more!
As you can see, all the steps in this process are closely interlinked. Bringing your loan management processes to the next level means implementing the ideal software. This should be one that takes all of the work off your hands, not just part of it. A solution that does everything you need it to do intuitively and automates your processes to ensure
1. Your customer gets the right loan set at the right time and in the perfect condition and
2. You can achieve growth and better profitability with a minimum on inventory.
If this sounds like something you need right now, then check out mymediset, the most widely utilized loan set inventory management solution among Global Fortune 500 players in the healthcare industry.
Take the next step and find out more in a tailor made demo! Get in touch to learn more.
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