Welcome to BlueBin's Operations Focus newsletter! We're excited to bring you insights on the intersection of supply chain operations, patient care, and staff safety. This newsletter will provide valuable analysis and strategies to help you navigate the challenges of maintaining Lean Six Sigma 2.0-level operations in your healthcare supply chains. Stay tuned for expert insights and actionable tips to strengthen your decision-making for a high-speed, accurate, and digitized operational future!
Industry News
Learn what's happening in the healthcare operations.
Hospitals can boost efficiency and patient care by using system dynamics modeling to map patient flow, identify bottlenecks, optimize resource allocation, and turn operational data into actionable insights—creating a culture of continuous improvement and resilience.
A new study found that hospitals acquired by private equity firms had roughly seven more deaths per 10,000 Medicare emergency patients than non-PE hospitals, attributing much of the difference to reduced staffing, wages, and increased patient transfers.
Despite spending nearly twice as much per person as other wealthy nations, the U.S. delivers worse overall health outcomes—marked by shorter life expectancy, higher maternal mortality, more preventable hospitalizations, and weaker primary care capacity—though it performs better on some short-term treatment and surgical safety measures.
BlueBin Client Success Story
Learn more about BlueBin client partner successes.
BlueBin’s Lean Kanban system at Cleveland Clinic Martin Health streamlined operations, saving over 21,000 labor hours annually, eliminating supply interruptions, and freeing staff to focus on higher-value clinical care.
Polls
Give your feedback on the state of the industry.
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What’s the hardest part of keeping Kanban data accurate?
Your Supply Chain Transformation Shouldn't Take Longer Than Your Strategic Plan
Most healthcare organizations that attempt internal lean programs face a brutal reality: 3 to 5 years before seeing meaningful, sustainable results. By then, your reimbursement landscape has shifted. Your workforce has turned over. Your competitive position has eroded.
Note: BlueBin’s mission is to transform healthcare by enhancing the supply chain process, ensuring that patient care staff have the right supplies at the right time and maximizing efficiency. In line with this mission, BlueBin advocates for and supports the AHRMM Keys for Supply Chain Excellence. By focusing on improving inventory management, optimizing supply chain processes, and minimizing waste, we aim to reduce costs, accelerate operational efficiency, and enhance clinical outcomes throughout the continuum of care. The AHRMM Keys for Supply Chain Excellence serve as key performance indicators (KPIs), establishing essential standards for supply chain management in the healthcare field. Learn more about the AHRMM Keys.
Summary: This study found that across three scenarios—aging society, pandemic disruption, and referral acceptance—optimal staffing and equipment configurations can be tailored by hospital size and budget to balance patient satisfaction (LOS and physician assignment) with cost, offering scalable strategies for maintaining efficiency, resilience, and equity in care delivery.
Did you know? BlueBin helps hospitals achieve optimal staffing and equipment balance by providing real-time visibility into supply utilization, enabling data-driven adjustments that improve efficiency, resilience, and patient satisfaction across any hospital size or budget.
Operations Tip
Spot Workflow Drift Before It Costs You
Leverage a Node Items Adjusted report weekly to catch repeated par or order changes—early signs of demand shifts or workarounds—so you can fix root causes before costs or stockouts rise.
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