Category: IDS

Introducing the COVID-19 Test Kit Dispenser & Return Center

Posted on by SaravanaKumar@wittern.com

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions’ COVID-19 Test Kit Dispenser & Return Center gives your employees easy access to self-administered COVID-19 testing kits via a humanless transaction experience.  The goal of the COVID-19 Test Kit Center is to align with Return-to-Work and Return-to-Learn programs. Frequent testing can help quickly identify and mitigate COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace, campus or community.

Each self-administered test is identified by using a barcode that is scanned when the user dispenses and returns the test kit. From there, each kit is linked to your company’s employee budget or organization’s campus cards. This is critical in order to ensure accurate and timely results.

Keep track of the employees who are accessing testing kits with the help of our medical inventory control and reporting iQ Technology. The COVID-19 Test Kit Center limits the number of tests that an employee can dispense from the machine, so iQ Technology tracks who accessed and returned the testing kits. iQ Technology gives you complete control over the machine, testing kits and how your employees access testing kits.

An attractive feature of the COVID-19 Test Kit Center is the contactless dispensing of the products. Employees can easily access their testing kits without the need to interact with another individual.

Provide employees and students with peace of mind, while mitigating risk with the COVID-19 Test Kit Dispenser & Return Center from Intelligent Dispensing Solutions. To find out more, contact us at 1-877-771-4446.

Reduce Employee Exposure Risk to Infectious Diseases Through Controlled Dispensing Solutions for Surgical Scrubs and Uniforms

Posted on by John Van Horn

IDS’ ScrubTrak surgical scrub dispenser provides a seamless transaction experience to allow employees to quickly and safely access surgical scrubs, uniforms and other textiles

Today it is more critical than ever to provide healthcare workers with personal protective equipment (PPE) including proper work attire such as scrubs and lab coats.  In order to access PPE and proper work attire, it is important to have processes in place. These processes protect your employees without compromising the ability to provide life-saving medical treatment to patients. This is especially crucial as medical organizations’ resources are being strained due to the influx in demand related to surging numbers of COVID-19 patients.

In order to protect medical personnel from the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases, it is important to ensure scrubs and hospital uniforms are being handled by as few people as possible while ensuring these items are being returned and laundered properly. It is impossible to eliminate shoulder-to-shoulder contact within a hospital setting. However, it is possible to limit this contact internally and reduce the handling of critical supplies, including hospital scrubs and lab coats, by limiting contact points.

Why is this so critical?  According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the lifespan of the Coronavirus can vary, based on different surfaces and can last anywhere from 30 minutes to three days. 

  • Airborne: 30 minutes to 3 hours
  • Cardboard: 24 hours
  • Stainless Steel: 2 days
  • Plastic: 3 days  

While the exact number of healthcare professionals afflicted with COVID-19 is unknown, thousands of healthcare workers across the United States have either had COVID-19 or been exposed to it. While healthcare professionals may be at a higher risk to contract COVID-19 due to their interactions with infected individuals, there are proactive measures that can be implemented to reduce the risk of healthcare workers contracting infectious diseases such as COVID-19.

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions provides controlled dispensing solutions that offer a contactless transaction experience, specifically for surgical scrubs lab coats, uniforms, and other textiles through its brand ScrubTrak.  It is a fast, easy and proactive solution for hospital staff and medical professionals to retrieve the clean, uncontaminated scrubs they need in order to perform their jobs. It also allows for contaminated scrubs and other textiles to be returned in a safe and secure location.

In addition to scrubs, uniforms and other textiles being safely retrieved, ScrubTrak provides peace of mind that scrubs are returned and laundered per hospital standards. In order for scrubs to be free of contamination, they must go through an extensive laundering and sterilizing regime with commercial-grade laundering equipment that cannot be accomplished by an at-home washer and dryer. 

Once scrubs have been worn, they are simply checked back in and returned to the ScrubTrak return unit where the transaction is logged and credited back to the employee’s account. This allows you to track your inventory and provides accountability typically resulting in drastic decreases in surgical scrub shrinkage.  In fact, many of ScrubTrak’s customers reduce scrub replacement costs by over 60% in the first year of implementing ScrubTrak.

In an open supply closet setting, when a nurse, lab tech or doctor comes in to retrieve new scrubs, he or she will sift through the items, often shoulder-to-shoulder with other staff members, until he or she finds a correct fitting pair, potentially exposing himself or herself to infectious diseases such as COVID-19. 

ScrubTrak helps to reduce the risk of spread of infectious disease by providing a safe and secure retrieval and return center for scrubs, uniforms, and other textiles. With ScrubTrak, personnel simply have to enter in the scrub sizes they need (top and bottom) and then wait only a few seconds for them to be dispensed. The return process is just as simple. Nurses and doctors simply have to scan their badge and place their used items in the return slot for laundering.

Unlike open scrub supply closets, in which multiple staff members can access scrubs and discard of used ones, controlled dispensing through ScrubTrak’s dispensers require employees to only access the specific scrubs they need, whether it be pants, tops or a specific size of scrubs, as well as the quantity they need. Additionally, staff members must be verified for access before the scrubs are dispensed and the employee is able to touch the item. 

“Human error is inevitable. We were losing scrubs faster than we should have been. We began inquiring about automated systems for managing scrubs,” said Ryan Madewell, the environmental services director for Hunt Regional Healthcare. 

To determine if ScrubTrak was the right solution for Hunt Regional Healthcare, Madewell analyzed the system’s various features including ease of use, approved efficiency, infection prevention and cost savings. “We chose ScrubTrak because it was the best fit,” Madewell said.

IDS’ ScrubTrak utilizes real-time data and reporting capability through its proprietary iQ Technology software. iQ Technology allows administrators to track who accessed what item(s), when they accessed the item(s) and the quantity of the item they accessed. This chain of custody is critical when identifying and mitigating risks in a crisis situation, as well as is useful on an inventory management basis during normal operating circumstances.

Having a solution in place to manage and track inventory reduces a hospital’s risk and also protects your most critical assets – your staff members. It is these individuals that are on the front lines of combating crises such as the global pandemic we are currently facing.

ScrubTrak can help. As you are evaluating and initiating your response plan, we want to help you keep your staff members safe, while providing a solution that ensures accountability in order to reduce scrubs and uniform shrinkage, and laundering costs.

For more information about ScrubTrak’s surgical scrub and uniform dispensing solutions, contact Intelligent Dispensing Solutions at 1-877-771-4446.

Provide Employees with Instant Access to the Supplies They Need, When They Need Them

Posted on by John Van Horn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhHINL7GyNo

Hardware administration and asset management can be a headache for the IT service desk.  Some organizations utilize the open supply closet approach. With this approach comes uncertainty, frustration, and wasted productivity.  For example, it could be extremely unorganized where you know it will take too long to find what you are looking for. Or even worse, perhaps it is locked and you can never seem to track down an IT service desk rep when your mouse battery has died. 

Did you know you can eliminate your supply room headaches for both your IT service desk staff and users with a Supply Dispenser or a Supply Locker from IDS?  Many companies who wish to streamline their IT processes and bring flexibility to their employees have been turning to smart vending machines to assist the IT service desk.  These IT office vending machines also track supply inventory and asset utilization on back-end systems.

IDS’ Supply Dispensers or ‘smart vending machines’ are the perfect inventory supply management solution for any office environment, whether it be finance, healthcare, professional services, or tech.  Since one organization can have multiple Supply Dispensers dispersed at various places in the office building or across the office campus, employee productivity will increase. For example, instead of having one central supply close, with Supply Dispensers at multiple locations, employees only have to travel to the Supply Dispenser closest to their work area rather than the central supply closet which may be much farther from their work area.   

Do you have larger IT and office supply items such as keyboards or laptops that may not fit into a Supply Dispenser?  Or perhaps you would like an inventory asset management solution for reusable assets. IDS Supply Lockers provide secure storage and dispensing of larger consumables and reusable assets. Our Supply Lockers keep your employees accountable by using a simple check-in and check-out system. Plus, these lockers can be used for will-call, asset management, loan periods and more. 

Using IDS’ Supply Dispensers is simple, as you just scan your ID and dispense the item you need.  There is no need to spend time tracking down an IT service desk rep to open the supply closet or digging through a messy supply closet searching for the specific item you need. With a swipe of your employee badge and the peripheral is logged against your name and tracked at the inventory end.

Decreasing wait times for IT service requests lets workers access replacement laptops to keep them working. A week-long process to get a new laptop can now be supplied in minutes leading to a rise in productivity and associated improvement on returns on investments.

With IDS’ Supply Dispensers and Lockers, office supplies and IT peripherals can be maintained instantly to better manage your stocks. IT will become more efficient, save costs, and improve employee satisfaction.  

Automated supply dispensing allows IT staff and employees to work more efficiently. It also allows companies to monitor the cost, deployment, and use of those supplies to make sure that office supplies and IT peripherals are accounted for.

Automating the distribution of necessary hardware such as keyboards, mice, headsets, cables, and other peripherals keeps employees productive and gives them the business products they want.  With IDS office and IT inventory asset management solutions, your employees will have convenient, secure access supplies they need, no matter what time of day it is. Call us today at 1-855-570-2673 to learn more.

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions Introduces PUSH-IT, a New Tray Delivery System

Posted on by John Van Horn
PUSH-IT

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions (IDS), a leading hardware and software provider of inventory management solutions, is pleased to introduce PUSH-IT, a new tray delivery system.  PUSH-IT allows customers to dispense larger items from our vending machines while also creating operating efficiencies. With no coils, PUSH-IT allows for greater capacity per selection and is adaptable to a wide variety of premium products, including different types, sizes, weight, and form factors including boxed items. 

For example, in the IDS SD5000-R refrigerated supply dispenser, 17 1.1” x 3” x 1.1” 10 mL vial boxes of Lorazepam injection solution fit per selection with PUSH-IT, while only 14 boxes fit per selection with a standard coil.  Likewise, in the SD-5000 supply dispenser, seven 6.9” x 5.3” x 2.5” inch boxes of landline phone hands-free headsets fit per selection with PUSH-IT, while only six boxes fit per selection with a standard coil. 

The PUSH-IT Delivery System is user-friendly and allows for flexible product configuration. Since there are no coils, selections are easily and quickly re-configurable infield without additional parts and it is reversible to accommodate extra-wide products. In addition, PUSH-IT provides a quicker restocking process than coils and eliminates any missed or empty slots occurring during the restock process.  PUSH-IT is strong and durable, able to push up to 15 pounds per selection or 30 pounds with paired devices.

With clear gates replacing obtrusive coils, PUSH-IT allows users to see the full products face on with no tilt or label obstruction, allowing them to better view the products and become informed by easily viewing the full front product label.  In addition, PUSH-IT eliminates the possibility of the products rotating in the selection when a product is vended from the selection, a nuisance that often occurs with coils.

“The PUSH-IT tray system enables clients to vend a wide variety of packaging. In addition, they can instantly change selection configuration width at no expense and with no additional parts required. The absence of coils dramatically speeds up restocking increasing productivity,” commented Jim Dillingham, President and Owner, Vend-ucation.

To see PUSH-IT in action click HERE.  For more information on the PUSH-IT tray delivery system or any other IDS products, please contact IDS by calling 1-877-771-4446 or visit www.idsvending.com.

We’re Heading to Orlando for “Work”

Posted on by John Van Horn

We are excited to be heading to gorgeous Orlando, Florida November 9-13 for the Service Management World Show. IDS will be showing off our helpful solutions for managing office and technology supplies. The Service Management World Show from HDI is a great opportunity to hear from service management experts and learn about the latest trends in the industry.

The IDS iVendTech solution reduces costs from untracked office and IT supplies and increases employees’ productivity. Our machines are simple to use, they work 24/7, they don’t take breaks or need vacation time.  

Supply dispensers provide instant access for employees to IT products and other essential office supplies.

https://youtu.be/Gx7S540dE3Y

“I used to be inundated with requests for IT peripherals and other office supplies, said Kyle Williams, IT Support Specialist at GoSpotCheck.”But since implementing the vending machines these requests have dropped to almost none.”

Kyle Williams, IT Support Specialist at GoSpotCheck.

Daniel Bolens is the Desktop Services Specialist at JAMF Software. He calls the IDS iVendTech machines the “perfect solution.” After researching other suppliers he determined “IDS had the best technological solution.”

Daniel Bolens, Desktop Services Specialist at
JAMF Software

For more information about our iVendTech machines for your office and IT supply management give us a call at 1-877-771-4446.

Is your Fitness Center in Shape?

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions reaches across many industries to help companies increase profit and maximize their resources. IDS vending machines and lockers for Fitness Centers makes it convenient and easy for gym members to find the supplies they need and makes workout facilities the go-to place to find what they’re looking for. The IDS Fitness Center brings nutritional and fitness essentials right to those that want them. Workout facilities can use IDS machines to increase profit while meeting a need among their clientele.

The IDS Fitness Center is capable of dispensing large packed products like bulk containers and bags, to small individually packaged samples. The protein vending machines can also dispense refrigerated beverages and shakes. Our Fitness Center locker and vending machine system can be set up as a standalone dispensing unit, or include satellite lockers giving you expandability for a variety of products.

The IDS Fitness Center is configurable and expandable for a wide range of products. The machines off secure dispensing, cash and credit card payment options and a web-based interface. Third-party POS integration includes Bar Code, PIN code, MagStripe and PROX Card.

All transactions are secure. You can customize your IDS Fitness Center with your logo on the outside of the machine, too. Our Fitness machines easily integrate with ABC Financial software as well. This way customers can use their gym membership or ID card to pay for their products.

IDS will be at the Club Industry Show at the Hilton Chicago on October 10 and 11. We will be showing off our equipment and would love to answer any questions you have about how our machines can increase your fitness center’s profit. Please call us today at 1-877-771-4446!

 

School Food Application

Posted on by John Van Horn

We are proud to offer solutions to help schools feed children nutritious lunches and snacks. IDS has the technology to integrate a school’s POS so that students can use their IDs or a code to get their food from the machine. The healthy school vending machines can offer different food categories and be programmed so each student can choose one food from each category offered. Our school food application is perfect for schools without a lunch room or schools looking to provide after school snacks to students that are part of an activity or students who may not get a nutritious meal at their home.

Vending Machines Uses: They Aren’t Just for Snacks

Posted on by John Van Horn

                  It is most common for people to associate vending machines as only serving food and drinks. However, more and more we are seeing vending machines that have a variety of uses besides dispensing food. Businesses are understanding the value of convenience and the ease with which products can be stored and delivered in non-food vending machines. Vending machines also provide a secure location for items and easy tracking and inventory information.

                  Companies are learning that vending machines help them get their products in front of their possible customers sooner. A recent Small Business Trends article titled “Vending Machines Aren’t Just for Snacks Anymore” noted that companies are selling jackets and headphones out of electronics vending machines in airports. Vending machines help companies go to their customers rather than on relying their customers coming to them. In addition to airports, schools and universities are becoming popular places to place non-traditional vending machines.  These machines can help travelers that are missing something they want for their trip or a student who needs a piece of technology for class.  Fitness centers are also great places to reach a target market through automated dispensing. Just like in traditional snack vending where location is important and a business profits when they can take their product to where people interested in their product already are.

iVendTech Satellite Machine

                  Organizations are also learning how vending machines are efficient and cost effective ways to get necessary supplies to their own employees. Businesses can use vending machines to track supplies, so they know exactly who is taking the supplies, and can limit how many workers can take. Employees can also take supplies 24/7 and do not need to wait on anyone else to access what they need. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions had been very successful helping hospitals dispense and sort their scrubs and other medical supplies. IDS also has helped fire departments track and dispense emergency supplies. Improved inventory management with vending machines is helping organizations save money and better serve their workers.

             We will let other companies get customers snacks and drink. We are proud to be on the cutting edge of automated inventory management systems helping businesses save time and money. Helping companies develop automated retail plans to reach their target market is important to us. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions is excited about the future of vending and the growing awareness and opportunities to vend non-food items. Do you have an idea of something you would like to vend but need helping making it happen? Contact us today at 1-877-771-4446. We would love to learn how we can serve you!

The Value of Saving Time

Posted on by John Van Horn

The end of the year is a good time to look back and evaluate how it went. Years can be broken up into financial quarters, which can be broken up into weeks and then into business days. Spending moments during the day doing unnecessary tasks can snowball into to large amount of wasted time over the year. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions works to save you time, which can save you money and add value to your business.

IDS has tools to help companies eliminate time and money waste by tracking supplies, securely dispensing materials and reducing administrative costs. By eliminating tedious time consuming work IDS products give you more time to spend working on more important parts of your businesss. We take pride in our asset management systems and have seen them help many different types of businesses. Contact us to find out how we can help you save time and money for your business.

IDS New Web Service Features

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions is excited to announce new web service features that will enhance reporting and accountability allowing you to further streamline administration costs. The new features include: Supply Room, Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets as well as Transaction Reporting.

Supply Room

Supply Room makes sure that you always have the items needed to restock your machine.  With Supply Room you can set critical alert level and par levels for items that are ready to be stocked in your IDS UCapit machine(s) and items that will remain stocked on the shelf. You can be alerted when you need to reorder products and if you need to restock products. Soon this service feature will include the ability to run purchase orders based on your supply levels in both machine and supply room.

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets provide the ability to better manage tasks by creating your own checklist. The checklists tracks who completed a task and when. A completed task can be reported automatically by sending an email to the designated crew member. The completed checklist is easy to share with those on your team as well.

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets

Electronic Checklists and Ambulance Stock Inspection Sheets provide the ability to better manage tasks by creating your own checklist. The checklists tracks who completed a task and when. A completed task can be reported automatically by sending an email to the designated crew member. The completed checklist is easy to share with those on your team as well.

Transaction Reporting

In the Transaction Reporting feature the allocation displays automatically when a report in run. For example, if you are prompting your crew members to enter the Run Number and Unit Number it will automatically display with the individual transaction record without having the change the account setting. Also, when you check the ‘Customize Columns’ box, further options for returning the data you want appears. You can now make selections for displaying the Lot Number and Expiration Dates. This means that the individual Lot Number and Expiration Date will display for each individual product that has been dispensed. Remember that any time you run a particular query, you can automate it.

IDS Advancing Technology

IDS expects to continue improving our solutions in order to provide your organization with increased value. Please contact us to schedule an online demo on these new web service features or have general questions about optimizing your use of the IDS UCapIt solution.