Updated June 13, 2014.

The challenges healthcare organizations face are consistent every year despite which federal or state healthcare legislation-of-the-moment dominates the news.

"How do we provide the highest quality care at the lowest possible cost."

There are an endless number of opinions about how to reach these goals simultaneously. One mindset that has contributed to improved health outcomes, better financial results, and boosted patient and staff satisfaction scores, is 5S.

5S

5S is an organizational system that originated in manufacturing. It's been used across the globe for several decades. Innovative minds in healthcare leadership have borrowed and applied the 5S mindset since the 1990's. When healthcare leaders understand, and communicate to their staff, that 5S is a continuous mindset, not a short-term project, they have been able to create impressive success stories.
Sort
Separate the necessary from the unnecessary; the frequently-used from the less frequently-used. Designate space for the high-frequency medical supplies. Make it accessible and as convenient as possible for your staff. Relegate the less frequently-used supplies to a space that does not encroach on the highly-valued space that should be set aside for the high-use, most-important items. Sort should be a continous process, and should be done in as little time as possible.
Set In Order
Now that you've set aside space and sorted and separated your frequently-used from your infrequently-used supplies, you'll start the next stage of organization: Set your medical supplies in order.

It's time to get specific with how and where you'll store these items.

Assign a specific, permanent, and easily accessible location for each type of medical supply.(Note: I use the word "permanent" here so that staff will always to know where to find what they are looking for, even when they are stressed-out, tired, and rushed….three all-to-common conditions in medical care. That said, "permanent" does not mean that the storage location cannot or should not be moved when an opportunity to improve the storage and its location arises. Allow improvements to happen. That is welcome change. Think of "permanent" as a location that staff can depend on to find what they need.)

Define what quantities of each supply should be in that location and what is the minimum quantity that will trigger re-stocking. In manufacturing, these are known as "par-levels" and this terminology has transferred to healthcare materials management in many circles.

Organize medical supplies in parallel and perpendicular order for easy access and to reduce the chance of grabbing the wrong item. Give each item set boundaries with shelves, bins or drawer organizers for example. Develop an easy and obvious labeling system for everything you store. Labels should be easily read. Many organizations have found that introducing a color-coding system to their storage has helped a great deal. Always look for ways to simplify and improve your sorting system.

Learn more about products and concepts in medical supply storage:

• Flexible Healthcare - Storage Options for Your Medical Supplies
• High-Density Mobile Storage in the Operating Room Core
• Medical Supply Storage Locker - Interior Benefits
• Innovative Nurse Server and Patient Server Storage

Shine
Maintain a clean work space and storage space. Cleanliness has many benefits in healthcare:

• It reduces the spread of bacteria, viruses, and infectious diseases in your healthcare facility.
• Patient and staff health and safety improves.
• The facility becomes more attractive to the patients and families who use your facility and its services, which can boost your Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) formal public reporting scores.

 
(Note: HCAHPS asks patients to rate their experiences regarding their inpatient stay. The ratings are shared with the public and can impact a healthcare organization's reputation in the community as well the amount it will be reimbursed for services provided to Medicare patients.)
 
Standardize
Now formalize the responsibilities, the space allocation, the par-levels, the organization system, and the cleaning requirements for your organization. In short, "standardize" your "sort", "set in order", and "shine" activities so that they happen on a consistent basis. Everyone involved should understand their specific responsibilities in these processes. The most successful organizations, not only in healthcare but also in manufacturing where 5S was perfected, use visual aids to quickly and accurately alert employees to standards compliance.
Sustain
The fifth "S", "sustain", can make or break your efforts. Your team has invested time and effort, and no doubt money, to sort, set in order, shine, and standardize. What a shame if they do not have a plan to sustain it in the long-term. This is why 5S is considered a "mindset" and not a short-term project. It is a way of thinking about how you will operate your organization so that it provides the highest-quality medical care at the least possible expense.