Optimising traceability of PPE and assets throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

Being able to track and trace supplies in healthcare under “business as usual” circumstances is a no easy feat to manage – but add to that a pandemic and effective traceability of supplies becomes critical.

At University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust, having real-time visibility of their stock has been instrumental in recent months.

Using GS1 standards alongside Genesis’ inventory management system has enabled them to uniquely identify stock as it comes through the doors – and it’s the Genesis personal protective equipment (PPE) tracker that has gone a long way towards helping the trust.

With the PPE tracker in place, Plymouth’s procurement team is able to manage PPE consumption levels in real-time and automate re-ordering once the their base stock criteria level has been reached. This saves the procurement and clinical staff a wealth of time that they can refocus on high-value tasks and most importantly, on patient care. 

The team also have a GS1-compliant RFID tracking system in place to add an extra layer of visibility across their medical equipment library. With Paragon ID’s RFiD Discovery system in place, the Plymouth medical engineering team can ascertain an asset’s location and trace its journey throughout the hospital. This has proven particularly beneficial because now, any equipment returned from a suspected COVID ward can be identified and managed accordingly prior to being redistributed.