Lets Start At The Very Beginning Part 1
Dustin Patterson | Regional Sales Manager, LogiQuip LLC.
Making a change is easy. SUSTAINING change is the real challenge, right? Over the next several months we will be discussing an approach to sterile storage projects and process improvement overall to create sustainable change.
So, where do we start? Well, let’s start at the beginning. You recognize there is a problem. And you may even think you understand the problem. But do you, really?
Approach it with an open mind. You are NOT trying to solve the issues at this point, you are simply trying to understand them. You may miss the mark if you go into this process assuming you know what the issues are and how to solve them, wasting time and money. Worse yet, you run the risk of losing the faith of your staff along the way which can effectively kill a project before it even starts.
Dig In. Map out the processes for managing supplies and understand the current metrics being used to gauge success. Is there waste in your processes? Do you discard a lot of expired supplies? Are Caregivers spending too much time looking for the supplies they need to care for the patient? Understanding the current data being gathered and processes being performed, you gain a deeper understanding (and possibly some of the causes) of the issues you are facing.
This is just the beginning of this topic. We will continue to dive into this stage of the project in August where we will cover more tips for getting your project started off on the right foot.
Dustin Patterson is currently the Mid-West Regional Sales Manager with Logiquip Healthcare Storage Solutions, a leading provider of high- quality, future focused storage systems designed exclusively for use in the healthcare environment. Logiquip is based out of Kalamazoo, MI and has served healthcare organizations across the US for 30 years. Dustin brings over 12 years of experience in space planning and healthcare storage. He has acted on behalf of LogiQuip as the vendor liaison to the AHRMM Wisconsin Chapter, a leading membership group for healthcare supply chain professionals. Working closely with many hospitals and surgery centers, Dustin has developed tailored solutions using a mix of best practices, Lean principles, and industry-leading storage equipment. He has also worked with many Sterile Processing Departments to maximize storage spaces, balancing trade-offs between high-capacity storage layouts and workflow efficiencies.
