Many healthcare businesses are managed similarly to other for-profit businesses; however, they also have complications that set them apart from other businesses. The healthcare supply chain, for example, offers specific challenges as some products that a hospital or private practice may purchase are used by staff, doctors, or by patients. As such, healthcare businesses can’t simply deploy any enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution off-the-shelf, you need a solution that can handle the unique challenges that your business faces.
There are many ERP solutions in the marketplace today; however, not all of them can address the unique challenges of healthcare facilities. Microsoft Dynamics® GP is a robust ERP solution that can be combined with a powerful vertical solution, Binary Stream Healthcare Materials Management, to strengthen the control and insight you need over specific healthcare operations. In the case of inventory management, there are often many people throughout a healthcare facility that might request or “requisition” materials. These requisitions may be for items that are often in stock, on premises, or may be ordered through outside vendors. Binary Stream’s Material Management software can operate in both centralized and decentralized modes whereby a requisition is run through a specific procurement cycle. In centralized mode, requisitions are passed through to purchasing to get items often in stock or those brought in from an outside vendor. Non-stock items are sent to a PO Preview queue that provides the opportunity for buyers to purchase that item, ideally in a timeframe and quantity that allows for cost savings.
Managing healthcare inventory can be as small as replenishing a nursing cart on a floor that dispenses materials to patients, as varied as ‘par level maintenance’ which is a desired level of inventory items on site, or as complex as identifying trends with consumption and issuance. Getting the right inventory, in the right quantities, to the right places in a healthcare facility is no small task, which is why you need the support of the right business management solutions.
ERP is not a one-size-fits-all option, especially in the healthcare industry. Contact Premier Computing, Inc. for guidance with choosing a business management solution that can provide the control and insight you need to provide superior patient services, productively, and profitably.
By Premier Computing, Inc., a Gold Certified Microsoft ERP and CRM Partner out of Utah