Exceeds Expectations
When the Moran Eye Center's ophthalmology facility at the University of Utah
Medical Center opened its 82,000 square foot facility, it used the opportunity
to reduce costs in the field of materials management.
With the assistance of UNICELL® modular storage system, the Moran Eye Center
set out to minimize supply inventory, contain the costs associated with
materials handling, and further enhance their just-in-time (JIT) inventory
management system. The Center reduced inventory by 30 to 40 percent within the
first year. The savings were more than their initial investment in the UNICELL®
system. To help achieve their goals, UNICELL® storage and distribution modules
are strategically located in the outpatient clinic, sterile supply, central
processing, and the surgery center.
Applications
Featuring a wide variety of modules and interchangeable interior fittings,
UNICELL® can easily be configured for countless applications. In a
clinical application, they stock inventory in a replenishment cell, then wheel
it from exam room to exam room replenishing stock throughout the outpatient
clinic. Using UNICELL®, they maintain a baseline amount of inventory in each
exam room and eliminate huge inventory stocks in the built-in cabinets.
From the pharmaceutical perspective, UNICELL® trays are the exact height
that they need in their exam rooms. The pharmacists are able to replenish all 26
examination lanes in about 35 minutes each morning by simply replacing trays in
a cell and moving to the next room.
Flexibility
The product features really allow for flexibility, and as they worked with the
cells, they discovered how well the product adapted to match their needs. Several
units are hung on wall-mounted rails in the central store-room. A transporter
cart quickly and easily mounts units on rails or lifts them off for relocation.
Other cells roll on casters to create flexible storage and distribution units.
For added flexibility, the minor procedure rooms, supply rooms, and surgery
suites have wall-mounted rail systems to hang cells in a variety of locations
depending on the application.
JIT Materials Management
In order to manage the daily delivery and distribution of thousands of supplies,
the Moran Eye Center has its own shipping and receiving dock. They operate
on a 'just-in-time' inventory management system where the supplier provides
product in a 'just-as needed' fashion. Trucks pull up to the dock, materials are
unloaded in the loading dock area, loaded into the UNICELL® systems, and
distributed throughout the Center.
To better monitor inventory quantities and improve supply organization,
UNICELL® drawers, dividers, trays, and accessories provide a specific location
for each item. The nurses like the dividers and modularity of the system
which allows them to bin items appropriately, enhancing the JIT inventory
management system.
Commitment to Excellence
Product warranty, prompt installation, and superior service were important
decision-making factors in selecting UNICELL® storage systems. In the
design of this facility, they anticipated the Moran Eye Center to be a
world-recognized center of excellence in ophthalmology. Because of this, they
were very selective in choosing supplier relationships and products that would
represent them in this journey. They looked for commitment to excellence in the
products they chose to achieve their goals.
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