Background and Importance The outsourcing of the integrated healthcare logistics service and the centralisation of the public healthcare company warehouses represent a response to technical and logistical-management critical issues typical of a decentralised system (Hub & Spoke warehouses) characterised by obsolete technologies and IT systems for warehouse stock management. The project (a 9-year contract that started in June 2022) involves the centralisation of all peripheral warehouses in a single warehouse HUB and the installation of a Warehouse Management System (WMS) required for the management of Drugs, Medical Devices (stock, transits) and various material useful for daily hospital activity.

Aim and Objectives This abstract focuses on micrologistics and, in particular, on the reorganisation of a dialysis warehouse based on a Lean Management perspective with the aim of optimising logistics and procurement processes.

Material and Methods The preparatory phase of the project involves the visual reorganisation of the department warehouse, identifying a unique, dedicated and marked location for each product and defining the department stocks (3 days of autonomy) and the mechanism and frequency of resupply (daily).

The key tool is the Kanban method: after taking each product from the department warehouse, the department operator places an ‘X’ on a dedicated Kanban board. Every day, a warehouse dedicated operator (‘spider’) collects the board and takes the consumed quantities from the central hospital warehouse to resupply dialysis warehouse stocks. The restored quantities are placed in the previously established spaces in the department locker.

Results The department is able to monitor stocks available on site, allowing a more accurate planning and reduction in waste due to expired goods. Department spaces defined for dialysis material storage are optimised (from 50 m² to 15 m²). The methodology adopted allows us to guarantee a standardised and non-operator-dependent stock resupply method. The time spent by the Unit Coordinator on non-value activities for the reorganisation of the material is reduced (about 7 hours/week).

Results are relevant This pilot case, whose main objective is to guarantee operational efficiency for dialysis material resupply through standardised management, provides a solid model that can be applied in the future to other business units in order to improve department efficiency and logistics service quality.

Conflict of Interest No conflict of interest.