Abstract
This paper presents a model that can be applied to improve the tracking of surgical instruments. At present hospitals are faced with a problem of underutilization and waste of surgical resources leading to excess ordering of supplies without completely using the inventory at hand. A simulation was created to highlight the importance of regularly updating Physician Preference Cards (PPC) using input from surgical supplies utilization to better inform supplies purchasing and creation of surgical kits for Operation Rooms (OR). The model built brings to attention the potential cost savings, and waste reduction benefits of using dynamic PPCs instead of the current method of using static PPCs that do not take actual utilization of materials and supplies into consideration. Using dynamic PPCs presents an opportunity to saving upwards of 52% including inventory and surgical supplies costs. Better data integration between systems can facilitate accurate estimations of utilization rates which should in turn inform supply planning and frequent PPC updating.