Public Health Information Network (PHIN)

Countermeasure Tracking Systems

Inventory Management and Tracking System

The Need for a National Inventory Management and Tracking System

During the 2009 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic event, there was a need for increased visibility of countermeasure inventory down to the local point of dispensing level. This information was used to make critical decisions on the allocation and distribution of antivirals and personal protective equipment. However, this information proved very difficult to obtain, highlighting the need for a system that state and local public health could use to report countermeasure inventory. The Division of Strategic National Stockpile (DSNS) therefore partnered with the CDC’s Office of Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services (OSELS) Countermeasure Tracking Systems (CTS) program to build a nationwide Inventory Management and Tracking System (IMATS). The vision of IMATS is to increase the capacity of all levels of public health to track and manage inventory of medical and non-medical countermeasures during daily operations or an emergency response event.

Through collaboration with state and local partners, the CTS team developed system features that map to nine high-level inventory management business processes. Graphic of the nine high-level inventory management business processes

Mobilization
Order/Request Resources
Approve Request
Receive Inventory
Store Inventory
Pick Order
Ship Inventory/Order
Dispense Medical Countermeasures
Demobilization

These system features provide a line of sight for inventory (i.e., what is available and on-hand) at state and local levels. Point of dispensing facilities where product is shipped will be identified as well as tracking of how much product is used or dispensed at each location. The IMATS development process incorporated significant input from state and local partners through requirements gathering webinars, demonstrations, hands-on training and usability testing.

What is IMATS?

The IMATS solution provides state and local public health providers with a tool to track medical and non-medical countermeasure inventory and supplies during daily operations or an event. The solution tracks quantities of inventory, monitors reorder thresholds, and facilitates warehouse operations including receiving, staging, and storing of inventory.

IMATS system capabilities allow for the following:

Creating a line of sight for inventory, i.e., what is available and on-hand at all levels (state, regional, local and/or point of delivery)
Identifying point of delivery facilities where product is shipped (i.e., hospitals, county health departments, etc.)
Determining how much of the product is used/dispensed at the point of delivery location, therefore extending the line of sight
Facilitating warehouse operations including receiving, staging, and storing of inventory

If you are interested in evaluating IMATS for use at your jurisdiction, please send an email to ctshelp@cdc.gov.

Current IMATS Functionality
Version 1.3

New data exchange feature
Inventory Management feature enhancements (enhanced search options, receive and inventory fields, pick list)
Facility enhancements (updated fields)
Import feature enhancements
Funding source enhancements
User permission enhancements (updated section name)
Storage location field enhancements (added location type field)

Detailed release notes for IMATS version 1.3 are available under Supporting Information.

IMATS Training Environment

The IMATS Training environment was released in April 2012. IMATS Training is identical in functionality to IMATS and can be used to conduct trainings and exercises with the system without having to use or modify live data.

All users approved for access to IMATS are automatically approved for access to IMATS Training. No additional identity proofing steps are needed.