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item making the process of replacing clinical supplies much faster , saving the time it takes to replenish supplies in the clinical setting .
It took about a year and a half to roll it out to all the clinical sites but it means that now all the medical and non-medical products are documented onto a computer . The only items this doesn ’ t apply to are pharmaceutical items as these are kept in controlled environments .
Then , when it comes to ordering , clinicians simply enter the quantity they need based on the shelf levels . “ All they [ clinicians ] do is press a button and that online requisition goes to purchasing ,” Gateas explains . “ It takes 50 per cent less time to replenish supplies .” Although this system hasn ’ t impacted EPIC in terms of a hard cost savings , Gateas explains the savings are invaluable for the medical staff in the reduced time it takes in managing critical medical supplies .
“ As far as the contracting cost goes it doesn ’ t affect us ,” he says . “ What it does affect is the soft savings cost as far as the backoffice time and supplies , so it gives
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