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PLANNING, SCHEDULING, DELIVERING

In an NHS or hospital setting, deliveries play a crucial role in ensuring smooth operations. These deliveries can range from medical supplies and pharmaceuticals to food, equipment and patient-related items.

TouchStar offers mobile computing software and software solutions that address key delivery scenarios and potential logistics issues associated with them. Efficient hospital logistics require robust supply chain management, contingency planning, and real-time tracking to mitigate these issues.

The following are examples of where we can assist.

1. Medical Supply Deliveries

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SCENARIO

  • Regular deliveries of consumables such as syringes, gloves, bandages, IV fluids, and PPE. Movement of surgical kits between departments pre & post surgery
  • Emergency replenishments for critical items like blood bags, oxygen cylinders, or surgical instruments.

LOGISTICS ISSUES

  • Stock Shortages: Supply chain disruptions leading to delayed deliveries.
  • Equipment availability: Exact location of items not determined.
  • Expired Stock: Poor stock rotation leading to outdated items being delivered.
  • Last-Minute Orders: Emergency requests causing logistical strain.

2. Pharmaceutical Deliveries

SCENARIO

  • Scheduled delivery of medications to hospital pharmacies or to remote patients.
  • Controlled drugs requiring special handling and secure transport.
  • Just-in-time delivery for high-cost or rare medications.

LOGISTICS ISSUES

  • Cold Chain Requirements: Some drugs require strict temperature control (e.g., vaccines, biologics).
  • Security Risks: Risk of theft or misuse of controlled substances.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to MHRA and NHS guidelines.
  • Incorrect Shipments: Errors in medication type, dosage, or quantity.

3. Pathology Collection & Deliveries

SCENARIO

  • Transport of blood, tissue, and other diagnostic samples between hospitals, clinics, and labs.
  • Time-sensitive deliveries for urgent test results.

LOGISTICS ISSUES

  • Time Sensitivity: Delays impacting patient diagnosis and treatment.
  • Security Risks: Risk of theft or misuse of controlled substances.
  • Temperature Control: Samples requiring refrigeration or freezing.
  • Full Chain of Custody: Eliminate the risk of losing any samples.
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4. Patient Transport & Records Deliveries

SCENARIO

  • Physical transportation of medical records for patients moving between hospitals.
  • Delivery of diagnostic images (e.g., X-rays, CT scans) if digital transmission is unavailable.

LOGISTICS ISSUES

  • Data Protection Risks: Confidential records being lost or mishandled
  • Transition Delays: Delays in record transfer affecting treatment decisions.

5. Food & Catering Deliveries

SCENARIO

  • Daily deliveries of fresh food for patient meals and staff canteens.
  • Special dietary requirement deliveries (e.g., allergen-free, halal, kosher meals).

LOGISTICS ISSUES

  • Spoilage Risks: Perishable food requiring prompt refrigeration.
  • Supply Chain Disruptions: Delays affecting meal planning.
  • Allergen Contamination: Risk of cross-contamination during handling.
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6. Linen & Waste Collection Services

SCENARIO

  • Regular collection of soiled hospital linens and delivery of fresh supplies.
  • Removal of medical waste, including sharps, biohazards, and general refuse.

LOGISTICS ISSUES

  • Biohazard Risks: Improper handling of infectious waste.
  • Cross-Contamination: Mixing of clean and contaminated linen.
  • Delays in Collection: Overflowing waste bins causing hygiene issues.
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7. Emergency & Out-of-Hours Deliveries

SCENARIO

  • Urgent medical supply deliveries during crises (e.g., pandemics, mass casualty events).
  • Emergency repair parts for critical hospital systems (e.g., power generators, oxygen supply).

LOGISTICS ISSUES

  • Limited Availability: Difficulty sourcing items outside standard working hours.
  • Delays Due to Traffic: Urban congestion affecting response times.
  • Supplier Readiness: Vendors not having stock for immediate dispatch.
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How we help

Mobile computing and Electronic Proof of Delivery (EPOD) technologies can significantly improve NHS and hospital logistics by enhancing efficiency, accuracy, and traceability.

Here’s how these technologies can help address key delivery issues:

1. Real-Time Tracking & Visibility

HOW IT HELPS

  • Mobile devices with GPS tracking allow hospitals to monitor external deliveries and inter-departmental movements in real-time.
  • EPOD systems can provide instant updates on shipment status, estimated arrival times, and delays.

ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Stock Shortages: Hospitals can track deliveries and reorder in advance.
  • Emergency Deliveries: Live tracking ensures urgent items arrive on time.
  • Equipment Location: Real-time information on exact equipment location.

2. Digital Proof of Delivery & Compliance

HOW IT HELPS

  • EPOD systems capture digital signatures, timestamps, and photographic proof of delivery.
  • Reduces disputes over lost or incorrect deliveries.
  • Ensures compliance with NHS regulations and handling protocols.

ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Incorrect Shipments: Immediate verification of received goods.
  • Regulatory Compliance: Ensures that controlled drugs and sensitive items are properly handled.
  • Data Protection Risks: Secure digital records reduce paperwork loss.

3. Routing & Fleet Management

HOW IT HELPS

  • Route efficiency maximised to reduce delivery times and fuel costs.
  • Mobile computing allows drivers to receive dynamic route adjustments based on traffic conditions.

ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Traffic Delays: Efficient routing reduces delivery time for critical supplies.
  • Emergency & Out-of-Hours Deliveries: Faster response for urgent needs.
  • Logistics Bottlenecks: Improves efficiency in high-demand situations.
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4. Cold Chain & Environmental Monitoring

HOW IT HELPS

  • Monitoring of temperature-sensitive deliveries (e.g., vaccines, blood samples).
  • Automated alerts trigger corrective actions if temperatures deviate.

ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Cold Chain Failures: Prevents spoilage of pharmaceuticals and biological samples.
  • Lab Sample Transport Issues: Ensures sample integrity for accurate diagnostics.
  • Food Spoilage Risks: Guarantees proper storage of perishable hospital food supplies.

5. Instant Product Recognition with Barcode Scanning

HOW IT HELPS

  • Instantly identifies stock items and site attendance with mobile barcode scanning.
  • Triggers automatic reordering through EPOD-WMS integration when stock is low.

ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Accuracy: Ensures correct items are loaded and delivered.
  • Site Attendance: Operators scan barcodes on arrival and departure.
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6. Secure Handling of Controlled Substances

HOW IT HELPS

  • Digital authorisation ensures that only authorised personnel can accept deliveries.
  • Audit trails provide transparency for narcotics and sensitive medications.

ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Security Risks: Prevents theft or misuse of controlled drugs.
  • Incorrect Medication Shipments: Reduces errors through digital verification.
  • Regulatory Non-Compliance: Ensures adherence to strict NHS handling protocols.

7. Faster and More Efficient Waste & Linen Management

HOW IT HELPS

  • Scanning technologies track linen cycles and waste disposal.
  • Our system allows quick scheduling and route adjustments for waste collection.

ISSUES ADDRESSED

  • Delayed Waste Collection: Ensures timely disposal of hazardous waste.
  • ILinen Cross-Contamination: Tracks soiled vs. clean linens in real time.

Key System Features

ELECTRONIC PROOF OF DELIVERY (EPOD)

Using a smart phone or mobile computer, your driver can obtain an electronic signature from the recipient which confirms receipt of the goods or service delivered. If further evidence is required, the driver can take a confirmatory photograph or scan a barcode which the system will automatically attach to the client record.

JOB PLANNING & SCHEDULING

With our highly flexible entry screens powered by a web-based back office system we can cater for almost any delivery scenario. Once the jobs are entered on to the system they can be allocated to vehicles in the most logical order, using our planning tool, eliminating paperwork and saving time.

ROUTE PLANNING

Using real time job information, you are able to drag and drop the jobs on to the relevant vehicles and, using built-in checks, make sure you are not overloading the vehicle. Once a manifest has been created it is then sent out to the drivers remotely in the field. To further enhance the efficiency, we can display the route on a digital map saving fuel and time on the road.

VEHICLE & DRIVER TRACKING

You can track your driver and vehicle using the handheld device. The responsible manager effectively sees a real-time update of driver location on a digital map. As well as showing the fleet information we are also displaying job information within the same system – there is no need for separate tracking software.

DRIVER ADMINISTRATION

From their handheld device drivers can submit holiday requests, timesheets and expense details directly into PODStar. This is a great time and paper saving feature for both the driver and back office staff meaning no more lost receipts or holiday requests.

RETURNABLE ASSETS

A dedicated feature that allows PODStar customers to track and reconcile all assets in the field such as Cages, Trolleys, Dollys, Totes, Pallets etc. This is complimented by a dedicated report which PODStar customers can interrogate at will, minimising lost or stolen assets and saving money.

DASHBOARD & REPORTS

Our Dashboard gives real time performance KPI information at your fingertips. It can be displayed on any device ranging from tablets and mobile phones to a large TV in the office. The EPOD Dashboard can display real time ETA information for your jobs and notify you if a delivery is going to be late or on time. The system also has the ability to export all data fields allowing you to create your own bespoke reports quickly and efficiently.

CASE STUDY – QE FACILITIES

QE Facilities is a well-established wholly owned subsidiary company of Gateshead Health NHS Foundation Trust, based in the North of England. The company is a separate legal body set up to provide a range of non-clinical Estates and Facilities services. QEF has been established on the solid foundations of the NHS and is able to provide a flexible, proactive range of high quality services, modelled on the lines of a commercial organisation.

A prime example is QEF Pharmacy Services™. The QE Facilities Outpatient Pharmacy provides a range of out-patient dispensary services for speciality medications. All of these services are underpinned by robust NHS IT systems but, where applicable, bolstered by ‘best of breed’ third party software to enhance core functionality.

Initial dialogue took place with TouchStar business analysts to develop a detailed scoping document that identified QE’s specific requirements. It was apparent that a high level of integration with existing NHS systems would be required, a stipulation that would have been impossible with a standard ‘off the shelf’ product. Fortunately, one important facet of the PODStar offering is the Evo-link integration product. Designed as a dynamic interface tool, EvoLink can link the PODStar software to almost any other system, enabling the automatic transfer of data from a separate system into the EPOD software. Supporting the population of multiple systems, errors are reduced by the removal of manual re-keying of data. Utilising the power of Evo-link, TouchStar personnel established a secure flow of data between several legacy NHS systems.

PODStar is employed to optimise the planned delivery of the prescription to the patient at their home or other appropriate location. Confirmed delivery slots are automatically transferred to PODStar from QE’s central database and subsequently released to the drivers as authorised job runs. In parallel, a matching barcode label identification is generated. On delivery, this barcode can be scanned to confirm patient receipt thereby ensuring full traceability of the prescription drugs.

QEF drivers are equipped with Android smart phones. The Cloud-based PODStar system offers a ‘Planning and Optimisation’ tool that automates existing manual processes for office-based Pharmacy personnel. The driver’s smart phones are used for both proof of delivery / signature capture and tracking of the driver and vehicle location. Back at the QE Pharmacy, management can view a real-time update on a map showing the fleet position as well as additional data on the job status and driver performance.

John Welsh commented: “We chose to partner with TouchStar Technologies as we believed they would deliver a bespoke system based on our exact requirements”.

The PODStar system delivers a number of key benefits, including:

  • Single point job creation
  • End-to-end electronic link from point of prescribing, dispensing to receipt of medicines by end user
  • Paperless electronic system for sustainability
  • Scalable operation

Following a robust trial the PODStar system is now fully ‘live’ and delivering the key benefits. Overall we’re very pleased with the system and, as we continue to expand, we look forward to continuing our relationship with TouchStar and contemplating further bespoke enhancements”.

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