Every practice has its 'standard' operating procedures, whether they are written or established by habit. These standard procedures are often established around convenience, rather than accountability. Establishing sound inventory management requires establishing a culture of accountability.
Accountability starts at the top. Nobody on a team will honor accountability standards if the leadership of the enterprise isn't the most accountable person on the team, as evidenced by their behavior, not their words. Therefore, leaders, be accountable. Set the expectation, communicate clearly what is expected, and make certain that you are the most accountable of all.
Establishing a culture of accountability also requires some compromise. To establish standard procedures that work, develop a process that meets the operational needs of the team with respect to accomplishing the larger objective of caring for patients and clients effectively, while at the same time, take into account the needs of the business with regards to issues of accountability such as tracking inventory. These two objectives are truly compatible, as without sound business principles, the practice will suffer financially, and the level of care will suffer as well.
Make a commitment to establish a culture of accountability by establishing leadership as most accountable, defining and communicating the needs and expectations clearly, verbally and in writing, and defining your operational needs from both a service and business perspective. This will help you to establish accountability as a pillar of your culture, which is important in improving inventory management.
