Featured
Project #2: John Muir Hospital,
Walnut Creek, CA
Summary: John Muir Hospital
is one of the largest Northern
California surgical trauma
centers. The John Muir Surgical
Services / Sterile Processing
Department stores and picks all of
the medical equipment, medical
supplies, implant and surgical
instruments required for every
surgery and medical procedure at
the hospital and off-campus
surgical centers. The inventory
was stored on mobile wire shelving
and carts that took up a lot of
space and made picking very
difficult in terms of reaching,
stooping, and lifting materials.
Concept Development: The
Systems Group of Toyota Material
Handling was commissioned to
design and build a new storage and
picking system for the sterile
processing area to improve
“Safety”, “Inventory
Management”, and “Space
Utilization” in the various
storage areas.
Details: TMH Systems Group designed an
automated vertical carousel system
using multiple tier shelving
inserts and wide drawers for a
large variety of instruments,
implants, and supplies. Ten Hanel
Rotomats equipped with
sophisticated microprocessor
controls integrated into John
Muir’s T Dock perpetual inventory
system.
Implementation: Once
connected to the local area
network John Muir’s IT and
purchasing departments have
complete visibility to all
inventory in the carousels and run
a very successful
“Just-In-Time” inventory
replenishment program using the
Hanel advanced control system.
Products are bar coded into and
out of the system providing a
recording of all pick or restock
transactions made by employee I.D
by date and time is stamped.
Another key benefit of the new
system was improved worker
ergonomics. Product is now
presented to the picker at an
ergonomic pick window for all
picks and put-away of product.
Worker injuries are reduced
significantly since every item as
picked at a friendly height or
golden zone. Product security is
enhanced because the picking
personnel must use password key
entry through the microprocessor
controller on each unit.
Conclusion: In 2007 John
Muir Hospital increased their
storage capacity in the Sterile
Processing Department and added
two additional Rotomats which were
connected to the to the existing
system controls. This additional
new order is a testament to how
well the Hanel System has
performed for John Muir and has
shown that the TMH Systems Group's on-going service
commitment to them is working
well.
