Materials Management Systems: A Means Toward Significant Hospital Cost Containment

Authors

Arnold Reisman

Document Type

Report

Publication Date

1-1-1981

Abstract

In response to growing pressures for hospital cost containment, effective materials management offers a significant opportunity to reduce expenses without compromising patient care quality or accessibility. Hospital administrators face the dual challenge of meeting health providers' materials needs, including consumables, reusables, and disposables, while also adhering to cost containment measures. Providers, such as physicians and nurses, are often intolerant of shortages but less sensitive to costs, complicating inventory management. Many hospitals lack adequate systems to track inventory value, with informal, unrecorded stockpiles frequently exceeding formal inventories. Instances of excessive stock, such as years’ worth of supplies like sutures and syringes, highlight inefficiencies in inventory control. This underscores the need for improved materials management practices to address hidden inventories and streamline hospital operations. [Published circa 1981.]

Keywords

Operations research, Materials management, Inventory control, Industrial engineering, Hospitals--Administration--Costs, Business logistics, Physical distribution of goods

Publication Title

Technical Memorandums from the Department of Operations, School of Management, Case Western Reserve University

Issue

Technical memorandum no. 492

Rights

This work is in the public domain and may be freely downloaded for personal or academic use

Recommended Citation

Reisman, Arnold, "Materials Management Systems: A Means Toward Significant Hospital Cost Containment" (1981). Research Reports from the Department of Operations. 283.
https://commons.case.edu/wsom-ops-reports/283