Inventory Management Transformation Project: Focus on Wastage

November 11, 2024

CASE STUDY

The Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust delivers care to a population of roughly 500,000 people. The Trust employs more than 4,500 staff, some
of whom work at local community hospitals, thus fulfilling the Trust’s aim to provide high quality care to people in its communities.

---

THE CHALLENGE

In 2017, the Trust took part in a Scan4Safety assessment. The assessment illuminated a clear opportunity for the Trust to improve its inventory management and supply chain practices.

To address the areas for improvement detailed in the assessment and achieve significant financial and clinical benefits, the Trust undertook a significant change initiative to redesign its clinical supply chain. As part of this change initiative, the Trust recognised the integral need for a best-in-class clinical traceability technology and a proven partner that could understand its needs and requirements throughout the project. The ideal solution would have the ability to not only reduce wastage, but establish complete traceability from the supplier to the patient bedside and capture utilisation data at the point of care.

The solution of choice also would need to gain definitive cross-departmental buy-in and seamlessly integrate with the Trust’s other systems to eliminate duplicate data entry.

---

THE SOLUTION

By implementing the Genesis solution, the Trust introduced powerful automation and insight into its workflows to dramatically simplify processes, reduce obsolescence and wastage, enhance patient safety, and improve the flow of supplies across The Clinical Supply Lifecycle™.

While the Trust elected to start using the clinical aspects of Genesis within the Cardiology department, it also rolled out the inventory management portion of Genesis across the entire Trust. Genesis has made a significant impact in the form of cost reduction, operational efficiency, clinician satisfaction, and patient safety.

Now that Cardiology is realising the benefits of Genesis, the group is eager to serve as champions of the solution, sharing knowledge and benefits with colleagues. The same collaborative approach that ensured success in Cardiology will enable the Trust to enact a larger transformation hospital-wide. The Trust knows that overhauling the supply chain is about more than implementing a solution. Instead, it’s about changing hearts, minds, and working practices. The Trust continues this important work in earnest with Genesis at its side.

---

PROJECT RESULTS – £96k

The savings in just the first year were £96k in disposed, wasted and expired stock.

---

“Genesis is the ultimate win for clinical staff. Not only does it save us significant time, it is also instrumental to protecting our patients and helping us make more informed, data-driven decisions. The solution enables efficiency and insight that we never thought possible.”

Heidi Cox, Specialty Manager for Cardiology