Written and maintained by CASRAI Editorial Board
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Short answer: medical inventory management software is a system that tracks the stock of medical and laboratory consumables and devices by item, quantity, lot and expiry. For devices and many supplies, the item identity comes from the label’s Unique Device Identifier (UDI). FDA’s Global Unique Device Identification Database (GUDID) holds the fixed device identifier but not lot, serial or expiration data, so the software has to capture those from the scanned label. This page lists what to check before you adopt one.
General information only; this page is not medical advice and does not name, rank or price any product.
Definition and scope
Inventory software for a clinic, hospital store room or laboratory answers three questions: what is on the shelf, how much, and which lots or expiry dates are involved. It is different from tools that track the equipment you own over its life (see biomedical equipment inventory tracking) and from tools that track samples in a laboratory (see the comparisons of laboratory management software and sample management software). Many products combine functions, so decide which of the three jobs you are buying for.
What a UDI gives the software
FDA describes a UDI as a unique numeric or alphanumeric code, generally made of two parts (FDA, UDI Basics, checked 2026-11-01):
- Device identifier (DI): a required, fixed segment that identifies the labeler and the specific version or model of the device.
- Production identifier (PI): a variable segment included only when the label calls for it. It can include the lot or batch number, serial number, expiration date and date of manufacture.
Under the UDI Rule, labelers (typically the manufacturer) must put the UDI on device labels and packages in two forms: plain text and machine-readable automatic identification and data capture (AIDC). FDA states the system’s purpose as identifying devices from manufacturing through distribution to patient use.
Why GUDID does not replace scanning
GUDID is FDA’s reference catalog for every device with a UDI. It stores the DI and descriptive attributes, but not production identifiers; it only carries flags showing which PI attributes appear in a product’s UDI. AccessGUDID is publicly searchable, with fields such as device identifier, device name, company name, MR safety status, GMDN term and code, and premarket submission numbers (FDA, GUDID page, checked 2026-11-01). The practical consequence is that the catalog can describe the product, but the lot and expiry of the box in your hand exist only on its label, so the software must read them at receiving or at the shelf.
Consumables, equipment and samples: which tool is which
| What you track | Typical unit | Related CASRAI page |
|---|---|---|
| Consumable and supply stock | Item, quantity, lot, expiry | Medical supply logistics, cycle counting |
| Owned equipment over its life | Individual asset | Biomedical equipment inventory tracking |
| Laboratory samples | Sample or aliquot | Sample management software |
Requirements checklist for evaluation
This checklist turns the FDA facts above into questions to put to any vendor. The tie to the source is shown for each; the answers have to come from the vendor’s own documentation or a demonstration.
- Does it read the machine-readable (AIDC) UDI? Labelers must provide it, so scanning is the expected input path rather than typing.
- Does it split the DI from the PI? The DI identifies the product version; the PI (lot, serial, expiry, manufacture date) varies per unit and must be stored per received item.
- Does it record lot and expiry at receiving? GUDID cannot supply them, so the label is the only source.
- Can it import or look up GUDID data by DI? AccessGUDID is public and holds device name, company and similar attributes that save manual entry.
- Does it handle non-UDI items? Not every supply item will carry a UDI, so ask how those are identified, for example by supplier barcodes such as GS1-128 or by internal codes.
- Does it support counting and replenishment methods you already use? Examples on this site: cycle counting, kanban and par levels.
- Can it trace by lot number? You should be able to list every location holding a given lot.
Recall lookups
FDA publishes a list of the most serious device recalls and early alerts, ordered by posting date, showing the date, the issue, the product area and the status (for example “Recall Confirmed” or “Early Alert – FDA collecting information”); entries are updated as new information arrives (FDA, Medical Device Recalls and Early Alerts, checked 2026-11-01). Software that stores DI, lot and serial per received unit gives you something concrete to compare against a recall notice. Whether a particular product has a built-in recall feed is a question for the vendor.
Common misunderstandings
- “The UDI database tells me my lot and expiry.” It does not; GUDID holds the DI, not production identifiers.
- “Inventory software and asset tracking are the same.” One counts consumable stock, the other follows individual assets through their life.
- “A feature list proves the software fits.” A feature list says what exists; only a demonstration with your own labels shows whether scanning and lot capture work.
FAQ
What does medical inventory management software track?
Item identity, quantity, location, lot or batch and expiry for medical and laboratory supplies, usually keyed to the device identifier on the label.
What is the difference between a DI and a PI?
The device identifier is the fixed part naming the labeler and device version; the production identifier is the variable part, such as lot, serial number or expiration date.
Is the software the same as a laboratory information management system?
Not necessarily. Laboratory systems centre on samples and results; inventory software centres on supplies and devices. See the laboratory management software comparison.
Sources
- FDA, UDI Basics, checked 2026-11-01.
- FDA, Global Unique Device Identification Database (GUDID), checked 2026-11-01.
- FDA, Medical Device Recalls and Early Alerts, checked 2026-11-01.
