Handles the procurement and supply of equipment, medications, and other essentials for hospital operations. It is included in the support processes.

High level description #

Subprocesses #

Purchasing #

The department is responsible for the procurement of goods and services, which includes negotiating contracts, selecting suppliers, and managing purchase orders. This process ensures that the hospital has the necessary medical supplies, equipment, and services to operate effectively.

Activities and estimated duration #

Negotiate Contracts

Establish favorable contractual agreements with suppliers to acquire necessary goods and services. Approximately 2 weeks.

Select Suppliers

Identify and evaluate potential suppliers to ensure quality and reliability of goods and services. Approximately 1 week.

Manage Purchase Orders

Coordinate the issuance, tracking, and receipt of purchase orders to ensure timely delivery of goods and services. Approximately 1-2 weeks.

Inventory Management #

Effective inventory management is crucial to prevent stockouts or overstocking. The department maintains an inventory of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and other necessary materials, and uses inventory control systems to track usage and reorder supplies as needed. 

Activities and estimated duration #

Maintain Inventory

Ensure the availability of medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, and other necessary materials by managing the inventory effectively. Approximately 1-2 weeks.

Track Usage

Monitor the usage of inventory items to identify trends, patterns, and areas where adjustments may be needed. Approximately 1 week.

Reorder Supplies

Utilize inventory control systems to determine when to reorder supplies to prevent stockouts and ensure continuous availability. Approximately 1-2 weeks.

Stock Management #

This involves the storage and distribution of supplies throughout the hospital. The department ensures that all areas of the hospital have the necessary materials on hand and that inventory levels are maintained efficiently. 

Activities and estimated duration #

Storage and Distribution

Efficiently manage the storage and distribution of supplies throughout the hospital to ensure availability in all areas. Approximately 1-2 weeks.

Ensure Availability

Monitor supply levels in various hospital areas and take necessary actions to ensure that all necessary materials are on hand when needed. Ongoing process, with initial setup and implementation taking approximately 1 week.

Maintain Inventory Levels

Regularly assess inventory levels and adjust ordering and distribution processes as needed to maintain optimal inventory levels. Ongoing process, but initial setup and implementation may take approximately 1-2 weeks.

Receiving #

The department manages the receipt of goods and services, ensuring that deliveries are accurate, timely, and in good condition. This includes inspecting deliveries, verifying shipment contents against purchase orders, and handling any discrepancies.

Activities and estimated duration #

Receive Goods and Services

Manage the receipt of goods and services, ensuring accuracy, timeliness, and good condition of deliveries. Approximately 1-2 weeks.

Inspect Delivery

Conduct thorough inspections of received deliveries to verify their condition and quality. Typically completed within a few hours to a day.

Verify Shipment Contents Against Purchase Orders

Compare the contents of the received shipment with the corresponding purchase orders to ensure accuracy and completeness. Approximately 1-2 days.

Handle Discrepancies

Address any discrepancies or issues identified during the receiving process, such as missing items or damaged goods. Approximately 1-2 days.

Flow Management #

Hospital logistics involves managing the flow of products, materials, and information to ensure quality and safety at a defined level of performance and efficiency. This includes managing patient, product, and material flows from provider to patient and ensuring that specialists have what they need to serve patients.

Activities and estimated duration #

Patient Flow Management

Manage the flow of patients from provider to patient care areas efficiently. Is an ongoing process.

Product Flow Management 

Ensure smooth flow of products and medical supplies from storage areas to where they are needed for patient care. Regular monitoring and replenishment to maintain adequate inventory levels.

Material Flow Management

Manage the flow of materials necessary for patient care, such as medical equipment and consumables, to ensure they are available when needed. Regular monitoring and replenishment

Decision Making:

Evaluation to determine if specialists are required.

Provide Required Resources for Specialists

Ensure specialists have necessary resources to attend to patients. Approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours. 

Proceed Without Specialist

Continue workflow without specialist intervention. Approximately 30 minutes to 2 hours. 

Service Logistics #

This category includes the management of patient flows by acting on demand and capacities to balance patient wait times with the optimization of hospital resources.

Activities and estimated duration #

Manage Patient Flows

Supervise and manage the flow of patients in the hospital. Approximately 15 minutes.

Optimize Hospital Resources

Optimize hospital resources to ensure efficient distribution. Approximately 20 minutes.

Act on Patient Demand

Respond to patient demand in a timely and effective manner. Approximately between 10 and 30 minutes.

Attend Urgent Patient

Attend to patients with urgent needs on a priority basis. Approximately between 5 and 15 minutes.

Attend Non-Urgent Patient

Attend to patients with non-urgent needs in a timely and efficient manner. A  pproximately between 10 and 30 minutes.

Waste Management #

The department is also responsible for the proper disposal of medical waste and other materials, ensuring compliance with environmental regulations and safety standards.

Activities and estimated duration #

Waste Collection

Collect medical waste and other materials from designated areas within the hospital. Approximately 20 minutes.

Waste Sorting

Sort collected waste into categories for proper disposal and recycling. Approximately 30 minutes.

Safe Transport

Transport sorted waste safely to designated disposal and treatment facilities. Approximately 45 minutes.

Waste Treatment

Treat medical waste according to environmental regulations and safety standards. Approximately between 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Final Disposal

Dispose of treated waste in compliance with environmental regulations and safety standards. Approximately 30 minutes.

Recording and Tracking

Record details of waste disposal activities and track the movement of waste for auditing and regulatory compliance. Approximately 20 minutes.

Support Activities #

Logistics in hospitals encompasses a set of support activities that are not the core mission of hospitals but are necessary to provide health care to patients and define the service level.

Activities and estimated duration #

Support Activities

Execute a set of support activities necessary for providing healthcare services to patients. Approximately 1 hour.

Provide Infrastructure

Ensure the availability of necessary infrastructure such as buildings, utilities, and facilities to support hospital operations. Approximately 30 minutes.

Ensure Equipment Availability

Ensure the availability and functionality of medical equipment required for patient care and treatment. Approximately 45 minutes.

Manage Facility Maintenance

Manage the maintenance of hospital facilities to ensure their proper functioning and compliance with safety standards. Approximately between 1 to 2 hours.

Coordinate Support Services

Coordinate various support services within the hospital to optimize resource utilization and enhance service delivery. Approximately 30 minutes.

Cost Control #

A key driver for the department is leveraging cost savings and improving hospital services by optimizing logistics functions, which can lead to better care provision at lower costs.

Activities and estimated duration #

Identify areas for optimization

Identify areas within the hospital logistics system that can be optimized to reduce costs and improve efficiency. Approximately 1 hour.

Analyze potential cost savings

Analyze the identified areas for potential cost savings and assess the feasibility of optimization initiatives. Approximately 1.5 hours.

Implement optimization initiatives

Implement the identified optimization initiatives to leverage cost savings and improve hospital logistics functions. Approximately between 2 to 4 hours.

Monitor cost savings and service quality

Monitor the implementation of optimization initiatives to track cost savings and ensure that service quality is maintained or improved. Approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour per week.

Evaluate impact on care provision and cost effectiveness 

Evaluate the impact of optimization initiatives on the provision of care and the overall cost-effectiveness of hospital services. Approximately 1 hour.

Automation and Technology #

Implementing logistics management software and automating core operations like scheduling, task allocation, and route planning can reduce errors, improve customer service, and enhance operational excellence. Automation helps in managing logistics more efficiently, saving time and money.

Activities and estimated duration #

Identify logistics management software

Identify suitable logistics management software solutions that align with the hospital’s requirements and goals. Approximately 1 hour.

Evaluate software options

Evaluate the identified software options based on factors such as features, compatibility, cost, and user reviews. Approximately 1.5 hours.

Implement software solution

Implement the selected logistics management software solution within the hospital’s operations. Approximately between 2 to 4 hours.

Automate scheduling, task allocation, and route planning

Automate core operations such as scheduling, task allocation, and route planning using the implemented software to streamline processes and reduce manual errors. Approximately between 2 to 4 hours.

Monitor automation effectiveness

Monitor the effectiveness of the automation processes to ensure they are functioning as intended and delivering the expected benefits. Approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour per week.

Optimize automated processes

Continuously optimize and refine the automated processes based on feedback, performance data, and evolving business needs. Approximately 1 hour.

Transportation Services #

The department may also manage or coordinate transportation services for patients and the delivery of supplies, which can include managing fleets of vehicles and scheduling deliveries.

Activities and estimated duration #

Manage transportation services for patients and supplies

Efficiently manage transportation services for patients and supplies. Approximately 2 hours.

Coordinate delivery schedules

Coordinate delivery schedules to optimize transportation efficiency. Approximately 3 hours.

Manage fleet of vehicles

Administer the fleet of vehicles to ensure their availability and proper maintenance. Approximately 4 hours.

Quality Service and Patient Care #

By optimizing logistics, the department contributes to increased quality of service and patient care, ensuring that patients receive the right treatments and medications on time.

Activities and estimated duration #

Optimize logistics for quality service and patient care

Optimize logistics processes to enhance the quality of service and patient care. Approximately 4 hours.

Ensure timely delivery of treatments and medications

Ensure that treatments and medications are delivered to patients on time. Approximately 3 hours.

Atributtes #

Staff #

Procurement professionals: Responsible for managing the procurement process of medical supplies, equipment, and medications.

Logistics specialists: Responsible for coordinating the reception, storage, and distribution of supplies.

Administrative staff: To handle documentation related to acquisitions, including orders, invoices, and inventory records.

Material #

Office equipment: Computers, printers, phones, etc., necessary for administrative staff.

Storage equipment: Shelves, cabinets, containers, etc., to organize and store medical supplies.

Inventory management software: Computer systems to track and manage inventory levels of medical supplies.

Method #

Procurement procedures: Established policies and procedures for the selection, purchase, and receipt of medical supplies.

Storage procedures: Protocols for organizing and securely storing medical supplies, including proper storage conditions for sensitive medications and equipment.

Distribution procedures: Methods to efficiently distribute supplies to different areas of the hospital as needed.

Machine #

Transportation equipment: Transport vehicles (such as trucks or vans) for delivering supplies.

Material handling equipment: Forklifts, pallets, conveyor belts, etc., for moving and managing supplies in the warehouse.

Tracking technology: Inventory tracking systems, barcodes, RFID, etc., to monitor and track the location and movement of supplies in real-time.

Usual Loops #

Downloads #

BPMN graphs  #

Download the collapsed BPMN diagram.

Download the expanded BPMN diagram.

Download all the data.

Use Case  #

In the Receiving  use case, the delivery and inspection of goods are central activities. In some instances, the received goods may be damaged or incorrect, necessitating contact with the supplier. This triggers the activities “Handle Discrepancies” and “Receive Goods and Services” after communicating with the supplier and arranging a new shipment.

In other cases, an order may arrive in multiple shipments despite being a single order. In such cases, some goods may be damaged or missing, causing a recursive loop within the “Receive Goods and Services” activity.

Most scenarios require a thorough verification of the received goods, leading to a cycle of the activities “Verify Shipment Contents Against Purchase Orders” and “Inspect Delivery,” where damaged or incorrect goods may be identified, prompting contact with the supplier.

When goods are received in multiple shipments or on different dates, verification can occur for each shipment, resulting in the repetition of the activities “Verify Shipment Contents Against Purchase Orders” and “Receive Goods and Services.”

In the  Waste Management use case, certain departments may not necessitate the “Waste Sorting” activity. In other instances, the waste may be transported to two different locations, resulting in an autoloop within the “Safe Transport” activity.

For some types of waste, the “Record and Tracking” activity may not be required. Additionally, in some cases, the “Waste Collection” activity may occur before the “Waste Sorting” activity.

The recommended software is the Inverbis Healthcare platform. 

Download the use case data.

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