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PRODUCTS & SERVICES also points to another fundamental area


easily overlooked.


“Often times when shelves are assembled, they are simply equally spaced,” Salus observed. “For most systems, this means more effort in re-setting shelves, or worse, no re-setting of the shelves, which results in a lot of wasted space above the supplies below the next shelf.” Salus recommends systems such as “Super Adjustable” or “qwikSLOT” that offer quick, no-tool, shelf adjustment because they enable the efficient use of vertical space by making it easy to lower shelves into that dead space often found between shelves,” he added. “This will often result in available space for a few more storage levels per unit.” Salus applies the vertical logic to the horizontal.


“There are solutions that position verti-


cal uprights (posts) closer together,” he continued. “The advantage is narrower shelves requiring less structure or thick- ness, therefore consuming less vertical storage space. The disadvantage, however, is that the horizontal spaces or compart- ments become fixed. o now instead of having wasted vertical space between shelves, wasted space between uprights becomes prevalent. Smaller items that dont fill the space are often seen with dead space on either side of it.” Then supply chain must wrestle with what to do with those larger items that wont fit between the fixed uprights, alus adds. “The way to overcome this is through accessorizing,” he assured. “While tra- ditional shelves have more girth, that girth provides for longer spans, spans that can be compartmentalized by item size. Essentially, the space that is lost by uprights every 16 inches and wasted space found next to the items between can be reclaimed by configuring shelves, not only vertically, but also organizing horizontally, to maximize the amount of space available to store items, of any size, efficiently. Hänel’s Flynn emphasizes the impor- tance of vertical space, too, that is served by its software-equipped Rotomat carousel.


“By utilizing the entire height of the room, the Rotomat automated verti- cal carousel can gain valuable storage space for supplies while also maintain- ing inventory control and the ability to send PAR level and reorder information to a higher-level system like Cerner or Lawson, for example,” she said. “The Rotomat and HänelSoft software provide real-time inventory visibility, the ability to perform cycle counts, quickly locating and removing recalled products, and the abil- ity to pick case carts in a path optimized fashion.”


Pharmacy is no stranger to automation and storage – including merging the two – and may offer worthy examples for sup- ply chain to emulate, according to Greg Haas, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Central Pharmacy, Omnicell Inc. “Advanced automation and intelligence solutions are driving safer, more efficient storage of medi- cations,” Haas said, and health systems adopting these technologies reap at least four key benefits


Greg Haas


• Scanning 100% of medication bar codes to track inventory that enters and leaves the system, as well as when the medica- tion is administered.


• Leveraging automation to reduce labor- intensive employee activities and the opportunity for human error, while freeing up employee time to focus on more value- added activities that could increase patient satisfaction, reduce costs or generate additional revenue.


• Leveraging intelligent software that manages workows and inventory data to minimize waste of expired medica- tions, maximizes efficiency of automa- tion and employee dispensing activities and provides a central repository of data that informs decision makers of necessary metrics to optimally manage inventory levels.


• Taking advantage of available ser- vices that help pharmacy professionals focus on being pharmacists while the


Looking ahead for shelf-fulfilling, shelf-serving prophecy


Some of the most innovative advancements to shelving and storage in recent years include the incorporation of technology that automates security, tracking and weighing of products, manages temperature and even protects against bacteria and viruses on surfaces. What might be a new bell or whistle coming down the pipe that might be


50 July 2021 • HEALTHCARE PURCHASING NEWS • hpnonline.com


worth adding to the mix? Healthcare Purchasing News asked several experts to share their insights without giving away any prospective developments or trade secrets. “Inventory control software can be a substantial benefit in maintain- ing proper equipment/supply volumes and utilization. The software can


Page 52


medication supply chain is being opti- mized by people that are medication logistics professionals.


Still, Midmark’s Hazelwood suggests the synchronicity of simplicity works. “[The] use of labeling and organiza- tion tools may not always look pretty on drawers, cabinets or shelves, but labeling can help organize the contents and help improve workflow efficiency for better patient experiences and out- comes,” he said.


Hazelwood also recommends using dividers or tray dividers in drawers that resemble what you see in a kitchen silverware drawer, labeled racks and angled shelving similar to stadium seating and even bins that can enable the customization of spaces for storage efficiency. “Mobile carts can be inventoried for specialty use and moved to rooms for scheduled times of usage in that space, such as pediatric days at a clinic, for example,” he continued. “Resupply carts can make it easy to move supplies and replenish rooms daily/weekly.” At best, Supply Chain leaders should know their end users and customers, Medline’s Malingowski urges. “It is important to visit supply rooms frequently and gather feedback from supply technicians and nurses who are in the room day in and day out,” he said. “They can help identify items that are not being used. This will help make space for faster moving and supplies that are critical for patient care. Furthermore, complete a PAR level optimization every three to six months. When we help cus- tomers with PAR optimization, it is not uncommon to find that nearly 30% of the inventory in the supply room is not used at all. PAR levels are often set during the initial set-up of a supply room, but then forgotten about. Completing a frequent PAR optimization can help provide critical insight on supply usage, improve labor utilization and ensure valuable storage space is available for supplies highly used by the clinical team.” HPN


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