What’s inside:
IDENTI is working with Harvard University Faculty of Arts & Sciences.
This announcement covers:
- The system improvements Harvard made to their storage of supplies.
- The automated kanban system selected to monitor stock and automate requisitions
- The further roll-out of the automated kanban solution at harvard labs.
Harvard University, Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS) vivarium chose IDENTI’s cloud-based ReStock Tag technology to manage their supplies, resulting in a lean management system. Following the successful initial installation, which reduced inventory levels and overall wastage, the University is looking to expand the automated kanban system to other vivarium labs across the organization.
IDENTI, a leading provider of cloud-based healthcare technology solutions for managing medical supplies, devices, and equipment, Research Supply Company (RSC) and Gateway Bar Code and RFID Inc. are excited to announce they have successfully implemented the patent-protected ReStock Tag Solution at Harvard University (FAS) vivarium central storage room. This new installation has opened up the vivarium market in the USA for the company and resulted in first-year savings of $52,050 and annual savings of $31,050 through reduction of inventory levels and waste, increased efficiency, and accuracy for the university’s vivarium.
The significant amount of savings and the vital improvement in inventory management systems has led the University to expand the solution into the rest of the organization laboratories – enabling them to concentrate resources on research instead of supply management. In addition, the university has moved to complete vendor control by automating their supply replenishment system.
“To go lean, we had 5 steps: Sort (keep only the necessary items), Set in order (arrange items), Shine (clean and tidy), Standardize (set standards for the consistent workplace), Sustain (maintain and review).” Jessica DeSantis, Harvard Supervisor
ReStock Tag is a digital two bin automated Kanban solution. It is patent-protected and provides an organization with a simple, highly efficient method to automate inventory management and reordering of medical supplies in any healthcare setting. It combines a two-bin lean Kanban configuration with advanced RFID technology and proprietary cloud-based tags, to run regular restocking reports, or to send automated restocking request as they occur to the ERP system.
RSC, the vivarium supplier, and Gateway Bar Code and RFID Solutions Inc. were in close relations with the university realizing the various lean management goals and challenges:
• Maintain correct supply quantities. Have on hand what is needed to get the work done without shortage or excessive overstock. Ensure records are accurate. Through manual record-keeping and order, errors and missing information could take place – causing delays or incorrect orders.
• Eliminate ‘interruptions or shut down’ of the daily operation. Animal care, cage wash and supervisory staff all played a role in inventory, ordering, receiving and stocking of supplies each week, interfering with schedules or performance of other tasks
• Reduce unnecessary tasks in order to concentrate on vital ones.
“The solution has been in place for weeks now. Before the ReStock Tag was put in place, the supply room was overflowing with supplies. Now everything is neat, organized, and in the right quantities.” Jim Raleigh, President RSC
The restocking responsibility has now moved solely to the supply vendor RSC. They have full access to the main supply room, which they visit once a week and carry only the required inventory without the need to overstock or rush and the vivarium staff can better focus their finances and time on the research.
As a result, Harvard University (FAS) vivarium is now expanding the solution into the rest of the university’s laboratories.
“We’d rather take the research money and spend it on research, not supplies. Right now there is no dedicated inventory personnel. Our expertise is in animal care, and I want people to be able to work at what they are best at – and that does not supply management.” Dawn Hidenfelter, Harvard Supervisor.
IDENTI solution suite for managing medical device and supplies is installed at dozens of hospitals in the world, at all departments including Cath-labs, EP Labs, ORs, Central Supply rooms, pharmacies and more. In addition, further vivarium labs are expected to install the solutions across the USA.
