How LabIQ Transformed Inventory Management at One of Europe’s Largest Hospitals

In large-scale healthcare environments, the clinical laboratory is both the beating heart of diagnostics and one of the most complex operational systems in the entire hospital. The challenge? Ensuring that tens of thousands of samples are processed on time, with the right resources, and without a single interruption.

At Bilkent City Hospital, one of Europe’s largest healthcare complexes, that challenge is magnified. With 3,750 beds, 8,500 m² of lab space, and a daily testing capacity of 200,000, even the smallest inefficiency in inventory management can have cascading effects; impacting not only costs but also patient care.

Since 2019, Bilkent’s laboratory has partnered with LabIQ to fully digitize and transform its inventory management processes. Over more than six years, the results have been clear: greater accuracy, faster response times, and measurable cost reductions, all while maintaining uninterrupted service.

A Massive Laboratory, A Massive Challenge

To appreciate the scale of the operation, consider the facts:

• Over 30,000 samples processed daily

• More than 3,000 different product types in active use

• A central warehouse plus 4 satellite warehouses

• Distribution to 500+ locations across the hospital campus

This network supplies everything from high-value reagents to everyday consumables. In such an environment, manual or semi-digital stock management systems simply cannot keep up. Without accurate, real-time data, the risk of stockouts, overstocking, and expired materials rises sharply, each carrying heavy financial and clinical consequences.

From Manual Complexity to Digital Control

Before LabIQ, tracking product movement across multiple storage locations required manual reconciliation, paper-based checklists, and reactive ordering. This left room for human error, delayed replenishment, and waste due to overlooked expiry dates.

LabIQ’s deployment introduced a fully digitalized inventory ecosystem, one that connects every warehouse, storage unit, and end-user department in real time. From procurement to consumption, every movement is monitored, analyzed, and optimized.

Six Pillars of Transformation

1. Real-Time Inventory Management

Every item, from the smallest pipette tip to the most expensive diagnostic reagent, is tracked live.

• The system updates stock levels instantly as items are received, transferred, or consumed.

• Critical shortages are flagged before they impact operations.

Result: Zero test delays due to unavailable stock in critical categories.

2. Proactive Alerts Against Stockouts

LabIQ’s algorithms analyze consumption trends to predict when stock levels will drop below critical thresholds.

• Routine consumables are monitored continuously.

• Intelligent ordering suggestions ensure replenishment happens before shortages occur.

Example: If a reagent’s average daily usage is 50 units and stock drops to a three-day reserve, the system triggers a reorder alert, long before it becomes an emergency.

3. Excess Stock Prevention

Overstocking is often overlooked as a cost driver, but it ties up capital and creates storage challenges.

• LabIQ prevents excess accumulation by aligning orders with actual consumption patterns.

• The system balances the need for safety stock with the financial imperative to avoid waste.

Impact: Reduced inventory holding costs and more efficient use of storage space.

4. Waste and Expiry Management

Expired reagents don’t just waste money—they can cause test delays if discovered too late.

• LabIQ tracks expiry dates for every lot, generating alerts well in advance.

• Staff can prioritize consumption of items nearing expiry.

Outcome: Significantly lower waste rates and improved reagent turnover.

5. Supplier and Order Management

A hospital of Bilkent’s scale works with multiple suppliers across hundreds of product lines.

• LabIQ centralizes procurement tracking, from purchase order to delivery confirmation.

• This ensures that deliveries are timely, complete, and compliant with contracts.

Bonus: Supplier performance data can be used to negotiate better terms.

6. End-to-End Barcode Tracking

Every stock movement (receiving, transfer, and usage) is tracked via barcode scanning.

• Ensures full traceability for audits and compliance

• Eliminates manual errors in data entry

• Links consumption directly to departments, enabling more accurate cost allocation

The Results After Six Years

Since its implementation in 2019, LabIQ has helped Bilkent City Hospital Laboratory achieve:

• Optimized resource utilization, with accurate matching of supply to demand

• Reduced operational costs, through better stock control and waste prevention

• Uninterrupted laboratory service, even during demand spikes or supply chain disruptions

One of the most important gains has been predictability, the ability to forecast stock needs accurately and plan budgets with confidence.

Why This Matters Beyond Bilkent

While Bilkent City Hospital is a uniquely large facility, the principles behind its success are universal. Any high-volume laboratory, whether in a large teaching hospital, a regional healthcare network, or a centralized diagnostic center, faces similar risks in stock management.

LabIQ’s combination of real-time data, predictive analytics, and integrated procurement offers a scalable model for efficiency in any setting.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Laboratory Inventory

The next frontier for hospital laboratories is not just about preventing shortages or cutting costs, it’s about creating data-driven, self-optimizing supply chains. With artificial intelligence and machine learning, future iterations of LabIQ could:

• Automatically adjust procurement to seasonal testing patterns

• Suggest alternate suppliers during shortages

• Simulate cost impacts of different inventory strategies before implementation

For Bilkent City Hospital, the journey has already begun. By embedding LabIQ into its daily operations, it has built a foundation for continuous improvement, one that will adapt as healthcare demands evolve.

Final Word: Efficient inventory management is not a back-office concern; it’s a frontline enabler of patient care. By ensuring that every test has the right resources at the right time, Bilkent City Hospital and LabIQ are proving that operational excellence in the lab directly supports better outcomes across the entire healthcare system.