Background

Establishing a good inventory management system ensures that supplies and reagents are available when needed, high quality reagents are obtained, reagents and supplies are not used beyond expiration. Stock outs of reagents cause delays in testing, longer hospitalization, and missed opportunities for outpatient testing.

At Kaberamaido Hospital Laboratory there was frequent stock outs and unnoticed expiry of supplies because there was no system in place to monitor supplies. This improvement project was initiated to improve stock management through monthly stock taking from 41% in April to 100% by 30th September 2019).

Methods

A personnel was assigned to list all the items used in the laboratory and stock card opened for all the items. Laboratory staff consistently updated stock cards whenever items were removed from the store and the logistics officer was tasked to follow up on items with discrepancies from National Medical Stores.

Results

Monthly stock taking increased from 41% in April to 92.7% in May, 97.5% in June, 98.9% in July and 100% in September. This improvement was attained because of commitment by technical lab staff in ensuring that documentation of supplies in the store is up to date and a personnel was assigned to oversee all the activities in stock management