"How to improve workflow by using robots"

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Marknad & Kommunikation © Apoteket AB v. 1.0 2012-05-07 Sida 1

"How to

improve workflow by using robots"

Peter Skarin

2012-03-21

All rights reserved

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Why automization in a

hospital pharmacy?

Tendering

A public Tender was announced to procure medical services for the County

Council of Skåne during late 2009

With the liberalization of the pharmacy monopoly, County Council Skåne

repeal the agreement with Apoteket of the Medical

supply, manufacturing compounding and the

medical service

Apoteket were awarded the contract of medical supply

(logistic centre) and the contract of manufacturing

compounding. The contract is valid from

1st of September 2011.

Contract period; four years with a possibility for

contract extension of two years.

Two logistics centres, Malmö and Lund supplies all 10 hospitals in the region.

Malmö 8 hospitals, Lund 2 hospitals.

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What to do?

Challenges

Cost reduction, improve workflow with maintained good quality

Evaluate different technologies

Evaluate different suppliers of automatic storage systems

Supply dramatically increased volumes from same facility, requires major

re-design of the hospital pharmacy

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Identified workflow bottlenecks

of the picking process

Assortment, re-fill stock

Labour consuming

Picking speed, expected volumes, labelling

Logistic preparations

Final inspection

Internal Logistics, conveyor belts etc

.

Design of technology

Double Prolog, 14 meters

Double robots, extendable to 4 robots

Box de-stacking system with automatic labelling

Unique conveyor system, medical dispensing

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Assortment

Limitations in size, weight, material and form

Volumes

Automatic pre-fill

High volume vs. slow movers

Picking & refill speed

Theoretically performance vs. performance in practise

Redundant

Possibility to expand

Labelling

Final Inspection

Barcode scanning of label

and released by pharmacist or

technician

Logistic preparations

De-stacking

Store capacity in the inspection area

Off line functions

Linked logistic systems

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What are the prerequisites?

Prerequisites

Management that supports investment in new technology and innovations

Engaged staff, project group and dedicated project leaders

Engaged Pilot team with engaged operators

A thorough quality testing and validation of the new technology

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Who makes it happpen?

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Project planning from A-Z

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But sometimes are the problems

difficult to solve….

Obstacles are the things we

see when we take our eyes off

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Opening Ceremony November 8th 2011

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Picking Process

Effectiveness analysis,

picking process

The automated picking process from order start to end station produces an

accumulated time of

7:03 minutes (including inspection process)

The manual picking process from order start to final check produces an

accumulated time of

13:46 minutes (including inspection process)

The analyze shows that the automated picking process is

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Refill Process

Effectiveness analysis,

refill process

The automated refill process from "stock refill que" to product on Prolog

produces an accumulated time of

6:24 minutes (150 packages)

The manual refill process from "stock refill que" to a refilled product on shelf

produces an accumulated time of

16:00 minutes (153 packages)

The analyze shows that the automated refill process is

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Analysis of picking process

0 5000

10000

15000

Num ber of

packages

Manual vs Automated

Snapshot March 13th

Manual picking

Automated Picking

Manning Manual vs Automated

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7 Number of staff

Manual vs Automated

Snapshot March 13th

Manning manual picking

Manning automated

picking

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Next Step

Prolog 2

Assortment

optimization

Backup

improvements

The journey of a medical package in Malmö

Pharmacy Hospital……

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