Advances in AI, computer vision and workflow automation are making it increasingly feasible for hospital supply rooms to track inventory, predict demand and trigger replenishment with little to no human involvement, according to an Aug. 26 Gartner report.
Here are four things to know:
- Chief supply chain officers should prepare to replace manual counting with autonomous supply rooms, Gartner said, as most existing technologies still rely on staff to count, scan and monitor inventory even when other processes are automated.
- In an autonomous supply room, cameras continuously track available supplies while AI analyzes usage and anticipated demand to prompt or initiate replenishment. Voice instructions and illuminated bins or electronic shelf labels can direct clinicians to needed supplies.
- Barcode systems, RFID infrastructure, smart cabinets and weighted bins can improve individual tasks, but they reinforce an operating model in which staff remain responsible for inventory oversight rather than eliminating that work, according to Gartner.
- Gartner recommends chief supply chain officers evaluate new technology investments based on how much manual work they eliminate, long-term operating costs and their ability to scale autonomous inventory management. The firm also recommends measuring success based on whether supply chain staff spend less time counting, clinicians find supplies faster, fewer products expire and shortages occur less often.
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