US 5,682,728 AGranted

Method for the supply of medical supplies to a health-care institution based on a nested bill of materials on a procedure level

AssigneeDeRoyal Industries, Inc.

InventorsAutry O. V. DeBusk, Brian C. DeBusk, James M. Mabry, Steven J. Polte

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Abstract

A method for integration of the institutional supply chain for medical products utilizing a nested bill of materials on a care event level of a clinical pathway for one or more medical procedures. The medical supplies appropriate for use in a care event are expressed as a bill of materials. Each item of medical supply is assigned a unique identifier which includes at least identification of the item itself, identification of the supplier of the item, and identification of the care event with which the item is to be used. At a first location a portion of the supplies are unitized and containerized. This subassembly is transported to a second and remote location where further of the supplies are unitized and containerized, using the same container. Thereafter the unitized and containerized supplies are transported to the end user thereof.

expressing a list of medical supply items appropriate for use in a care event as a bill of materials which is representative of at least one care event along a clinical pathway for a medical procedure,
providing the information on said bill of materials to at least a first and second supplier of the medical supply items listed on said bill of materials,
at the location of a first supplier of at least a portion of the medical supply items on said bill of materials, segregating from an inventory of medical supply items one or more distinct medical supply items as a first unit, each of said items being included on said bill of materials, but the total number of the items withdrawn being less than the total number of items on said bill of materials, selecting a container having a void volume which is greater than the volume required to contain said first unit of medical supply items, depositing said first unit of medical supply items in said container, and releasably closing said container,
transporting said container to a second supplier of at least a portion of the medical supplies of the kind identified on said bill of materials, said second supplier being located remotely of said first supplier,
at the location of said remotely located second supplier, opening said container, segregating from an inventory of medical supply items one or more distinct medical supply items as a second unit, each of said items being included on said bill of materials, but the total number of the items withdrawn being less than the total number of items on said bill of materials, opening said container, depositing said second unit in said container, and releasably closing said container,
transporting said container with said first and second units of medical supplies contained therein to the site of said care event.

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Abstract

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