Hospital and nursing home canteens

Stocktaking in hospital and nursing home canteens - precise, safe and efficient

Catering in hospitals and nursing homes today is highly complex. Central canteen kitchens supply several wards, there are individual diet plans for patients and residents, and internal cafeterias are often operated. This means an enormous logistical effort - and makes precise, regular stocktaking essential in order to maintain an overview.

Why an accurate inventory is essential in the healthcare sector

• Complete overview of stock and use of goods: A regular inventory provides you with an accurate picture of all stocks. You can see which food and drinks are available and in what quantities, and keep an eye on the cost of goods at all times - a key factor in hospital catering.
• Ensure dietary requirements are met: Special diets - from diabetes-friendly food to low-allergen menus - must be available at all times. By keeping an accurate inventory, you ensure that there are enough suitable ingredients in stock for every type of diet.
• Hygiene control and traceability (HACCP): Strict hygiene regulations apply in the healthcare sector. Complete inventory documentation supports your kitchen's HACCP concept because it shows which products and quantities are still in stock. In the event of recalls or inspections, you can react seamlessly and ensure traceability.
• Cost optimization and avoidance of shrinkage: Undetected shrinkage or spoilage costs money. Stocktaking in hospital canteens or nursing home kitchens reveals losses and spoilage. With accurate stock data, you can optimize stock management in the canteen kitchen - you can reorder in a more targeted manner and avoid excess stock.

Challenges in hospital and home kitchens

• Multi-component meals and special diets: Patient and resident catering includes many menu components and special diets. The wide variety of ingredients and dishes makes stocktaking in the hospital kitchen challenging, as everything really has to be recorded.
• Distribution kitchens and decentralized warehouses: Goods are often located in different places - from the central warehouse to refrigerators on the ward. The inventory must include all these decentralized stocks so that the overall picture is correct.
• High staff throughput in shift operation: frequent staff changes make conventional stocktaking more difficult. A digital inventory in a nursing home or hospital with intuitive operation helps to avoid errors caused by untrained staff.
• Recording of non-food items: Consumables such as gloves or disposable tableware also need to be counted. An inventory that includes non-food in the care facility prevents shortages of important items and avoids unnecessary costs.
• Inpatient cafeterias with their own product range: Many facilities operate internal cafeterias for employees, visitors and residents. This different product range (snacks, drinks, consumables) must be inventoried separately. The different product categories require a flexible inventory system for recording.

How BarBrain simplifies and structures stocktaking

• Quantity recording via +/- widget: use the BarBrain app instead of a piece of paper and pen. No need to laboriously scan barcodes - simply add or subtract the available quantity of a product using simple plus/minus buttons.
• Slider for partial quantities: BarBrain offers practical sliders for opened bulk containers and liquids. This allows you to specify the fill level of a bottle or bulk pack precisely as a percentage - no more estimating, every opened unit is recorded exactly.
• Offline counting in cold stores and cellars: No Wi-Fi in the warehouse? No problem - you can also use BarBrain offline and synchronize the data later. So you can continue counting reliably, even in the cold store, cellar or other "dead spots".
• Structuring by storage location or product group: BarBrain adapts to your organizational structure. You can structure the count by storage location (main warehouse, ward, cafeteria) or by product group, so that digital stock control in hospital catering remains seamlessly documented.
• Recording non-food with the same system: BarBrain records all items - from food to non-food. For example, you can digitally count ingredients, gloves and cleaning agents together and obtain a complete stock picture.
• Snapshot on the reporting date: Once the count is complete, BarBrain provides you with a finished inventory report - a clear snapshot of your stock on the reporting date. You can use this inventory list for monthly closings, audits or QM documentation. Real-time tracking is deliberately omitted - you decide when and how inventory is taken.

Advantages for administration, purchasing and quality management

• Faster stocktaking with high accuracy: With digital support, the time required for stocktaking is halved without compromising accuracy. Typing errors and estimation errors are eliminated - you end up with a reliable inventory list at the touch of a button.
• Relief for staff - even in shift work: BarBrain is so easy to use that even changing staff can count without any problems. Your team is noticeably relieved and overtime for stocktaking can be avoided.
• Improved budget control and forecasting: Accurate inventory data forms the basis for solid budget planning. Purchasing and catering managers can analyze the use of goods after each inventory and identify consumption trends. This makes it easier to predict expenditure and avoid surprises in the budget.
• Audit- and HACCP-proof: Digital inventory data is documented in an audit-proof manner. For audits, HACCP checks or QM certifications, you can provide complete proof of which stock was available on which date. This simplifies every inspection.
  

"Since we started using BarBrain for stocktaking, we have been able to take stock in our hospital kitchen in half the time. And we can be sure that all the figures are correct. Even our HACCP documentation is now more relaxed."

Conclusion: Test BarBrain now free of charge

A digital inventory in the healthcare sector with BarBrain means more precise results, less effort and more security - especially in the complex environment of hospital and nursing home kitchens, it pays to rely on specialized inventory software. See the benefits for yourself: Try BarBrain now for free and make the next inventory in your facility a routine task.