Medical Supply Expiry-Date Management
Check Remaining Shelf Life Before Placing Order
The price per unit isn't always a measure of value. If the products expire before the clinic can use them, a large order can be expensive.
Verify before confirming an order:
- Average use.
- Current available stock.
- Delivery date expected.
- Shelf life remaining on arrival.
- Minimum order quantity, pack size.
- Storage requirements and capacity.
Say, for example, your clinic goes through ten boxes a month. If you buy 100 boxes that only have six months of shelf life left, you obviously risk ending up with a surplus.
Set realistic shelf-life expectations upfront with your supplier before you buy. These should be based on the product and your clinic’s probable use, not one rule for all items.
First Expired, First Out
First Expiry, First Out (FEFO) is the term used for selecting stock from a lot based on the earliest expiry date. WHO uses FEFO for items with expiry dates so that stock with the earliest expiry date is prioritised.
FEFO is not First In, First Out (FIFO), which is based on the order of arrival of products.
For example, a new delivery may expire in March, while existing stock expires in September. Although the March batch arrived later, it should take priority.
Store shelves so that the earliest expiring usable batch is most accessible. Keep batch labels visible. Do not mix loose items in containers that hide identification.
Create Early Alerts and Assign Actions
The expiry report is only useful if someone does something about it.
Consider 90, 60 and 30 day alerts in advance and adapt based on the product’s shelf life and rate of consumption. These are examples of planning, not universal rules.
- For every upcoming expiry batch:
- Compare quantity against expected use.
- Check availability of stock in other rooms.
- Reduce repeat orders where possible.
- Check out any permitted supplier return options.
- Responsible person and date of review.
Clearing stock should never be at the expense of using unnecessary products or changing clinical decisions.
Check treatment rooms and the storeroom
Supplies already issued to procedure trolleys, emergency kits, drawers and rarely used rooms may be excluded from expiry checks.
Establish a list of locations and assign a person responsible for each area. Include unopened standby supplies and products removed from outer cartons.
Retain original labels and traceability information, if required. Shelf labels are an aid for staff to identify products but do not replace product information provided by the manufacturer.
Review slow-moving items and near-expiry stock more frequently, with checks before use as part of facility procedures.
Document Opening Dates and Storage Conditions
The expiry date on the packaging is not the only cut-off point that may apply. Some products have a shorter allowed time after opening, preparation or activation.
Where the manufacturer specifies an in-use period, record the date opened and the applicable discard date. The new line of products from the company includes:
Storage matters as well. Follow labelled requirements for temperature, moisture, light, etc. If a package is damaged or the storage history of a product is questionable, an unexpired date does not mean that the product is still good.
Why Opt for Elumia Med Store?
Elumia Med Store is an online platform for clinic purchasing teams to browse medical consumables and prepare supply enquiries. Its purchasing guidance highlights pack sizes, expiry visibility, storage and stock planning – useful considerations when organising repeat orders.
Please provide your required product references, quantities, expected usage and remaining shelf-life expectations prior to ordering. Please check with the team for current availability, product details and applicable return terms.
concluding thoughts
Good expiry-date management is good record-keeping, practical stock rotation and sensible ordering.
Check shelf life before buying, record batch arrivals, apply FEFO and take action when nearing expiry dates. Regular attention in storerooms and treatment areas helps clinics reduce waste and have a better picture of usable medical supplies.