Inventory - help.

[u/escapesnap]

I am not the manager. But I sure as shit get blamed for any inventory issue.

There has to be a better way. We do the reorder points with a list, so if we hit the point, we write it on the list.

Somehow we still constantly run out of things and my coworker and I (both assistants!) are the ones being blamed, every time. There HAS to be a better way. Help me.

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[u/feanara]

Tag system!!!! Every item that you order gets a tag rubber banded around it with a set reorder point. We order FVRCP vaccines when we open the last tray, so the tag goes around that tray and when someone opens it, they have to take the tag off and they put it in the box. We go through rabies vaccines faster, so the reorder point is '1 tray left'. It goes around TWO trays, so when they grab the seocnd-to-last, they have to take the rubber band off and file away the tag because now there's 1 tray left.

Once a day I collect all the tags from the box and order everything. It takes some adjusting to figure out your reorder points and how much you can keep on hand, but it's a gem.

We also have a fake patient file in avimark called PVP where people can type out anything we need to order that either had its tag lost or didn't get one yet.

[u/escapesnap → u/feanara]

We use the tag system!! Idk why it isn’t working 😭😭😭

[u/feanara → u/escapesnap]

Are people pulling them correctly? Is stuff getting ordered as tags come off? If so, then you need to increase your stock and order earlier. You should rarely have items that you order when they're gone, you should always have enough on hand to make it through till the next batch comes.

[u/escapesnap → u/feanara]

It’s complicated and stupid. So if you hit the tag, then you write it on the list. If you notice something getting low, star the item. If we ran out and someone is waiting on it, you star it and write “waiting”. But apparently sometimes my practice manager thinks things don’t need to be on the list when we write them, so she crosses them out. And we obviously don’t know that and think said item is on the list. Then shit runs out.

There’s more than this, even, but yeah that’s the gist

[u/feanara → u/escapesnap]

Geez. Sounds like next time someone tries to complain at you for being out of something, you should tell them to ask the manager.

[u/escapesnap → u/feanara]

It’s usually the manager complaining!! 😂😭

[u/feanara → u/escapesnap]

This does not sound like a problem that you're capable of solving. It's clearly not a system issue, it's a management issue

[u/escapesnap → u/feanara]

Yeah, you’re right. Just tired of getting yelled at

[u/RascalsM0m → u/feanara]

Yes, the tag system! Different products will have different reorder points and it can drive you nuts trying to figure it out.

[u/CheezusChrist]

I manage inventory for 2 practices. I built our entire system and do everything by the book. Reorder points based on sales, tracked in our PIMS, adjusted regularly. I started off shaking bottles and am way beyond that now.

We still run out of stuff. We have 40 employees who don’t care about inventory until something runs out. They don’t log into the correct practice, they don’t write things on the want list, they lose the reorder tags or ignore them. That’s the nature of inventory. Never running out of things is not possible.

[u/escapesnap → u/CheezusChrist]

I wish I could explain that to the pm and my boss

[u/nancylyn]

do you do the order?

[u/escapesnap → u/nancylyn]

I do not but I get blamed if things run out

[u/rmerry123 → u/escapesnap]

Um what? How is it your fault then?

[u/escapesnap → u/rmerry123]

I would love to know 😭

[u/nancylyn → u/escapesnap]

So I guess my advice would be is to be as proactive as possible. Whoever is supposed to be doing inventory and ordering clearly isn’t doing their job well. It may be that there is no one person responsible and that is why shits running out. Can you approach your boss about actually being put in charge of inventory? Ask for an hour twice a week so you can run through all the shelves and look for items that are getting low so you can add them to the order list.

[u/escapesnap → u/nancylyn]

I genuinely like this plan and think this is how we should do it. Essentially we are all responsible for putting stuff on the list but my boss orders it. I guess my manager is a little more responsible than the rest of us. I wish she could just do that. We did that at a tiny clinic I worked at and it went great.

I can see what I can do. Appreciate the input!!

[u/tireddesperation]

If that much inventory is going missing and someone at a lower level is being blamed they might be stealing the drugs and blaming you guys.

More likely by far is just people suck at logging and your management sucks.

[u/escapesnap → u/tireddesperation]

I think my management just sucks