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Inventory data model: Health system supply tracking, updates, and usage

Mar 28, 2017

The Inventory data model can be used to keep an accurate, up-to-date account of a health system’s supplies. Whenever a supply is added, an Update event is documented; when a supply is used, a Deplete event is logged. The Update event is analogous to a CRUD operation, and is used to synchronize item counts, locations, and price information across systems. The Deplete event is used to document the usage of a supply. Deplete contains an optional Patient object for use in charging, or can be used without the Patient object to inform another system that supplies need to be re-ordered

Functionality: Read and/or Write Type: Event Based 

Key Information Included: 

  • Precise amount of on-hand supplies

  • Location of existing supplies

  • Accurate pricing information of supplies

  • Documented usage logs of supplies

  • Patient field to tag accountable supply user

Update Event The Update event communicates information and changes to a specific supply, such as the precise number of the item available on hand, whether or not it is chargeable, and where the supply is located. This model will be exchanged with inventory management systems, the EHR, and other systems used for tracking supply levels. Update events occur when users make database updates in the inventory management system.

Deplete Event A Deplete event indicates that a supply has been used and deducts the used supplies from the overall inventory. The optional Patient object provides a context for charging based on supply usage. Without the Patient object, the Deplete event can be used to document normal supply usage, and trigger automatic creation of a re-order (requisition).