Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method, system, and apparatus for tracking the use, waste, and/or other characteristics of consumable medical items (e.g., surgical sutures) that are used during surgery. In one version of the invention, a sterile, disposable apparatus, denominated as a “landing pad,” is used to receive and position relative to one another: (1) an electronic device capable of taking digital images; and (2) the item being imaged (such as a sterile suture cartridge). The landing pad positions the electronic device and consumable medical item for digital imaging of the medical item. The resulting digital image is processed to identify a database record matching the imaged medical item. The identified record is then used to provide information about the imaged medical item (e.g., the count of individual surgical sutures contained in an imaged sterile suture cartridge).