A pilot study investigating the efficiency of an Internet of things (IOT)-aided warehouse management system in the management of consumables for the operating room in a Chinese setting

The aim of this study was to investigate the value of an Internet of things (IOT)-aided warehouse management system (IAWMS) to improve the efficiency of consumables management for the operating room (OR). Indices in three domains (error alerts, time taken for work, and level of satisfaction) were selected. Records were compared for two groups, namely the IAWMS group (records after implementation of IAWMS from March 2024 to September 2024) and the control group (manual work before implementation of IAWMS from July 2023 to December 2023). Results revealed that the IAWMS significantly reduced error alerts and the time taken for routine work. The level of satisfaction of the medical staff improved significantly. Noticeably, the time taken to conduct a physical inventory decreased markedly (12.57 ± 1.27 min vs. 840.00 ± 120.00 min, p < 0.0001). This pilot study confirmed the value of an IAWMS in improving the operational efficiency of consumables management for the OR in a Chinese setting. The IAWMS relieves medical staff from heavy manual work. Thus, the IAWMS is recommended for routine management of consumables for the OR.