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>> We have a lot of critical patients come through so we need to have what we need at
the bedside for me to use.
>> With more than 65,000 patients accessing the medical center's emergency department
each year, it's critical that nurses and technicians have quick and efficient access to lifesaving
medical supplies.
>> A lot of airway supplies; putting people on oxygen.
>> IV solutions, IV start supplies for drawing blood.
>> A problem had developed in the emergency department that was preventing the fast access
nurses needed, while originally installed to help with supply management, these Pyxis
machines had instead become an impediment to speed and efficiency.
>> When it got busy when you really need supplies, they weren't there.
>> So we created a lot of workarounds.
>> It soon became apparent those workarounds, temporary supply carts that bypassed the Pyxis
machines entirely were adding to the problem.
>> There were carts everywhere. There were Pyxis machines everywhere. There were supply
locations literally everywhere.
>> So the nursing and supply departments decided something needed to change; they launched
a process called a Kaizen, a Japanese philosophy about continuous improvement that invites
employees at every level to make problem solving contributions.
>> What we were doing wasn't working; I just didn't know what a solution was so when Matt
introduced this whole concept, I was extremely excited.
>> It was eye opening.
>> Supply Technician Daniel Line said it wasn't until the Kaizen began that people started
to realize just how inefficient the ED supply system had become.
>> You don't really see what's on -- what people are doing on the other side and [inaudible]
like that you really got the opportunity to understand where they're coming from as well.
>> There was a group from supply and distribution and a group from the ED and we would go and
say well, this is the problem here and then they would come in and say well, this is what
we feel the problem is.
>> So this is what we call a two-bin system.
>> The solution, a two-bin system that allows nurses and techs to quickly grab and go has
revolutionized the ED supply system. With two bins, each one holding at least two days'
supply, the staff knows when the first bin is empty, they still have a second full bin
to serve them until the first bin is restocked within 24 hours. An initial pilot program
quickly expanded across the entire emergency department and soon, other departments in
the med center will adopt their model.
>> I mean we still have little kinks to work out but I think we are doing a great job and
it seems like everybody is happy with that.
>> The removal of 51 Pyxis units will save more than $200,000 per year in least costs
and another $40,000 annually by ordering supplies more efficiently. All of these savings in
the ED alone; what's more, before the process started, nurses reported a 90% dissatisfaction
rate with the supply system. Now that number has flipped entirely with 9 out of 10 nurses
giving the new system high marks.
>> It was, you know, very humbling to be picked to be part of this and to have a voice. It
was just plain awesome.
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