St. Louis-based BJC HealthCare has strengthened its medical supply chain with the launch of a 416,000-square-foot consolidated services center serving its East Region hospitals.
The distribution center, which operates 24/7, supports 14 hospitals, 3,300 beds and 4,600 physicians with automated replenishment of critical care supplies, according to a Nov. 19 news release. Within one year of opening, the center reached an 87% service level and processed 13,000 supply lines daily.
BJC improved order fulfillment rates from 90% to more than 99% and increased on-time, in-full rates from 27% to 75%. Order processing costs dropped by 80%, while nursing unit service levels surpassed 98.5%. The system also reduced inventory on hand by 25 days and achieved 100% real-time inventory visibility across its network, according to the release.
The initiative was designed to free clinical staff time from supply management duties and enhance operational resilience across BJC’s acute care footprint.
