Tag: ems supply vending machine

The IDS System for Medical Supply Dispensing in Chesapeake

Posted on by John Van Horn

The Chesapeake Fire Department has implemented IDS’ secure, web-based system to dispense medical supplies for its team in order to increase their efficiency and decrease their tax dollar spend!

How does this medicine vending machine work, and how much will it cost taxpayers? While the city invested $85,000 to get the machine up and running, it has been determined that this initiative could actually save taxpayers thousands of dollars in the long run. The machine’s supplies are accessed by employees through scanning their department IDs and choosing the dispensable item via keypad selection.

The department’s previous system of an open closet approach for EMS inventory management was far less efficient: crews got supplies after sending an email and awaiting new deliveries. Additionally, restocking was estimated and often inaccurate. There were countless potential delays. Additionally, there were excess fuel costs because crews could only get supplies from one central supply station, no matter where they were based in the city.

Now things have changed.

“The IDS system is going to prevent stations and employees from hoarding supplies and thinking they may need more, while really they need less,” says Chris Bergeron of BoundTree Medical.

The implementation of IDS’ system at Chesapeake Fire Department, three years in the making, helps speed up the process of getting supplies and helps keep up with costs. The system provides info that will allow the fire department to use tax dollars more efficiently. This year alone, Chesapeake crews had over 27,000 emergency calls, of which 76% were EMS calls where medical supplies are used.

Now, the new dispensing machines can also help identify what specific items are needed for different emergencies, further increasing efficiency and preparedness for medical calls.

Watch the full video feature on this exciting new wave of medical supply technology here, and be sure to visit the IDS website to learn more about our controlled dispensing technology.

Medical Supply Vending Machines Help EMT’s and More

Posted on by John Van Horn

When someone thinks of a trip to the vending machine, chances are, they think of sweet and salty treats and carbonated beverages. However, for many EMTs, going to the vending machine has a completely new meaning. Rather than dispensing soda and chips, there are now various types of medical vending machines that dispense medical equipment, medications and more to ensure EMT crews have all the materials they need to save lives and help civilians.

This is one of the many ways that towns are now working to minimize issues due to shortages of common supplies and drugs. There are a number of causes of the shortages, with the FDA stating that issues such as production delays and quality control issues are mainly the cause.

Also, there are a number of US pharmaceutical companies that no longer have any interest in creating the older fluids and drugs that are considered “staples of emergency care”, and now focus their time on creating products that yield a higher profit margin. There is no way for the FDA to force these companies to continue making these drugs or other products, which then leaves those in the field without the necessities for saving lives and helping people.

This has spurred a bit of creativity in the world of vending machines.

The EMT medical supply vending machine will provide alerts to paramedics when a piece of equipment or drug is getting low or close to its expiration. The items that are about to expire can be returned to the distributor for credit, and it is known that fewer should be ordered the next time around. This minimizes the number of drugs and other supplies that are being thrown away each month and in turn, saves money.

The idea of a medical vending machine has definitely caught on and allows for better control of these necessary items, while still ensuring that those in the field have what they need. Security is also not an issue, since the machines require codes and other verification techniques to distribute the items inside. This minimizes theft and still ensures EMTs can restock when necessary. The majority of these EMT vending machines are being placed at fire stations since the FDA ruled a few years back that hospitals were no longer allowed to be supply distributors for EMTs and rather were considered end-user.

For any cities or towns that are still catching on to this new trend, acquiring the EMT supply vending machine does represent a significant up-front investment, however, in the long-run, it is well worth the expense. UCaplt offers medical supply vending machines that will reduce shortages of supplies and minimize the costs experienced by these towns. Give us a call today at 877-771-4446.

EMS Supply Vending Machines | Equipment That Saves Lives

Posted on by John Van Horn

Running out of a crucial piece of life-saving equipment is not something EMS teams should have to deal with, unfortunately, it is a reality that many faces all too often.

In the past few years, the Food and Drug Administration passed a law that stated that hospitals were end-users of medical equipment and medication, rather than distributors for EMS crews. This meant that after dropping off a patient for care, the crews could no longer restock their vehicles if needed.

In addition to the reduction in the manufacturing of certain drugs and medical products that don’t bring in a hefty profit from manufacturers, many EMS crews are finding it more and more difficult to get the supplies they need to save lives.

An Innovative New Approach to Stocking Supplies For EMS Crews

Due to the potential of shortages and the inability to restock a vehicle at hospitals, a creative solution was needed and the EMS supply vending machine emerged. Found at local fire stations, medical clinics and hospitals these unique EMS equipment and supply vending machines provide EMS personnel with the medical equipment and supplies that they need on a daily basis to save lives.

Stock EMS Personnel – Minimize Waste

Another issue is a large amount of waste at the end of the month due to certain drugs or equipment not being used by its expiration date, costing hospital inventory management thousands of dollars. Medical supply vending machines make it possible to know when something is nearing expiration and reduce what is stocked to avoid unnecessary costs. This ensures that workers have what they need, without the excessive waste that often follows.

What About Security?

One of the biggest concerns that were introduced with the concept of a pharmaceutical vending machine was security. What would stop an average person from taking what they wanted – even narcotics – from these machines?

The solution is superior security that minimizes the potential for theft. This was achieved with high endurance security glass, fingerprint recognition, and code verification. All potential scenarios were thought through to make this a safe and viable option to get EMS workers the supplies they need.

While EMS equipment and supply vending machines are still a relatively new idea, the popularity of the machines is growing steadily. They offer a viable solution to a problem that is seen across the country. Ensuring that EMS workers have the tools they need to save lives is essential and this is exactly the benefit offered by these first aid vending machines.

UCapIt offers medical supply vending machines and secured locker systems that will meet the standards and security of EMS personnel. Contact UCapIt today to learn more at 877-771-4446.

Control Your Hospital Inventory with UCapIt’s Locker Systems

Posted on by John Van Horn

For healthcare professionals around the world, inventory control is always a top priority. Not only do you have to make sure beyond the shadow of a doubt that you have the integral supplies on hand to provide top-notch patient care and other services at all times, but you also need to curb things like theft and loss in any way that you can. A new series of hospital inventory control vending machines from UCapIt have already begin to enable medical, pharmaceutical and EMS professionals to accomplish exactly that.

Controlled Access Pharmaceutical Dispensers

UCapIt’s Controlled Access Pharmacy vending machines, also commonly referred to as CAP systems, bring with them a huge variety of different benefits that are hard to ignore. Each one of these machines is powered by a revolutionary inventory and tracking system, for example, that makes sure that only authorized users to have access to the important supplies and other contents contained inside.

Hospitals can use a number of different pieces of identification in order to authorize the machine before it dispenses a product. These can include things like PIN numbers, proximity card readers, fingerprint readers, bar code ID scanners and more. These protocols are designed to make sure that the people who actually need supplies have easy access to them, all the while keeping out people who may wish to abuse or even steal the important supplies contained inside the machine.

Actionable Information

The major benefit of UCapIt’s hospital locker systems, however, is one of reporting. Alerts can be sent to key individuals within an organization automatically via e-mail to warn them that stock on a particular product is running low, for example. This same warning can extend to other “need to know” situations like when a product is about to expire when the machine itself has become disconnected from the Internet for whatever reason when the machine has suffered a power outage and more.

The UCapIt machines can also be configured to control the temperature in any given zone down to the degree, allowing you to store temperature-sensitive supplies without worrying about product loss due to things like user error. All of this can also be accomplished remotely using a smartphone or tablet thanks to the cloud.

These are just a few of the many ways that UCapIt’s locker systems are revolutionizing inventory control in the medical profession for the better. Not only is preventing issues like theft or misuse easier than ever, but now these hardworking individuals finally have access to the information that they need to provide the best quality care to patients at all times.

Automated Vending Control Over Pharmaceuticals & Accountability

Posted on by John Van Horn

Experts estimate that at least 10% of the general population will have a problem with dependency on drugs or alcohol at some point in their lives. Unfortunately, hospitals have learned that their nurses and tech staff are not immune to addiction and dependency issues any more than others despite their extensive medical training. Nurses, in particular, have more direct access to controlled pharmaceutical substances than almost any other medical professional.

According to Kimberly New, a medication security consultant and executive board member of the National Association of Drug Diversion Investigators, “Nurses are the No. 1 care provider with regular access to controlled substances…We detect a lot more nurses than pharmacy staff diverting medications in inpatient settings.”

Long term care facilities are most susceptible to the problem of diversion, or theft of controlled substances by nurses. Unlike 80 percent of hospitals, medication dispensing in these facilities lacks automation. Instead, each time a nurse requires a medication for a patient, he or she typically removes it from a locked supply cabinet and manually charts the removal recording vital information such as date, time, the name of the patient, and the nurse responsible for its removal. When shifts change, the incoming nurse verifies the totals with the outgoing nurse.  This process is rife with opportunity for cover up of unauthorized access to controlled substances as well as simple human error.

UCapIt, a division of Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, is developing innovative vending solutions to prevent diversion. With a medical supply vending machine like UCapIt’s lockers or their pharmaceutical vending machine that looks more like a traditional vending machine, care facilities are better able to control access and inventory of medications and supplies.

The benefits of this new generation of medical vending machine services are undeniable.  Medical professionals face daily challenges of restricting access, accounting for inventory and ensuring that product doesn’t expire before it is used.

Automation can help address each of these issues, in particular with the issue of diversion and theft. Automated medical storage creates accountability by restricting access to personnel who use an authorized pin number, bar code scanner, or biometric such as a fingerprint to access the machine’s contents. Transactions are recorded automatically and available to inventory managers and nursing supervisors via the Internet.  A pattern of diversion of medication by nurses quickly becomes obvious.

Diversion of pharmaceutical supplies by nurses can be addressed and prevented by secure vending automation. A pharmaceutical vending machine or medical vending machine automates transactions and provides detailed records of access.

Safe and Secure with the CAP 3 and CAP 3 Refrigerated Vending Units

Posted on by John Van Horn

CAP is an acronym that stands for “Controlled Access Pharmaceutical Dispensing.” It refers to a type of system that medical institutions have adopted with enthusiasm regarding the dispensing of EMS supplies, the management of hospital inventory and more. The CAP system in particular was created by UCapIt to be an ideal solution for addressing control problems that are commonly associated with keeping track of pharmaceutical inventory, distributing products and more. Two of the most recent state-of-the-art products that are available to consumers are the CAP 3 and the CAP 3 Refrigerated Medical Vending Machines.

When you take a look at what the CAP 3 vending unit has to offer, it’s easy to see why it is making waves in terms of pharmaceutical supplies. The standard configuration of the CAP 3 involves 384 items, though the capacity can vary depending on the tray configurations that are selected. All communication is Web-based, meaning that diagnostic and user information can be sent over a nearby Internet connection. Standard features of the CAP 3 include either a barcode or magnetic stripe reader (depending on your preferences), the patented iVend Delivery Sensor System, a Parrot Door that is designed to enable the reuse of protective bags, fluorescent lighting and more. The CAP 3 is also compliant with the rules and regulations dictated by the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The CAP 3 is available in blue, black or red, allowing you to make sure that your unit fits in with the current visual aesthetic of your workplace. Custom colors are also available on request.

The CAP 3 refrigerated vending machine has all of the advanced features that were found in the CAP 3, only elevated to the next level. The standard configuration includes 412 items, though capacity varies depending on the selected tray configurations as was true with its predecessor. In addition to the iVend Delivery Sensor System and a barcode or magnetic stripe reader, the CAP 3 Refrigerated Vending unit also features fully functional LED lighting for increased visibility and high energy efficiency at all times. A heated glass option is also available that can be turned on and off at will.

When it comes to selecting pharmaceutical vending units, medical professionals need to know that the important equipment contained inside is always as safe and secure as possible. Both the CAP 3 and the CAP 3 Refrigerated Unit are computer-controlled to eliminate the possibility of user error and have been created with the highest construction standards possible. Each machine is verified to perform at the highest level possible to help keep hospital inventory available and secure at all times.

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions to Attend West Region EMS & Trauma Care Council in February

Posted on by John Van Horn

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions, one of the world’s top medical vending machine manufacturers, is pleased to announce that they will be attending the West Region EMS and Trauma Care Council event to take place on February 20-22, 2015. These events will allow IDS to exhibit some of their state-of-the-art medical vending machines for pharmaceutical control, as well as their revolutionary new EMS locker systems.

One of the many topics of discussion that IDS will engage in during the events has to do with their medical vending machines, which allow a greater level of both security and control to healthcare professionals. Intelligent Dispensing Solutions designs their vending machines to allow professionals in the healthcare field to instantly access and restock certain medical items using standardized access protocol. Features, such as iQ software allows an organization to catalog and time-stamp all withdrawals, as well as regulate access to medical supplies to people with a certain authority level in order to reduce theft and to improve the efficiency of the facility as a whole.

EMS locker systems are designed to add additional infrastructure to medical facilities of all sizes, giving them the ability to control access to larger EMS supplies like back boards, radios, oxygen tanks, safety clothing and more. EMS locker systems come in a few different varieties, like the CAP 12 Door Locker and the CAP 3 Door Locker. Each unit includes adjustable back panels, LED lighting and other features that make it a versatile solution for all medical storage needs. Custom colors are also available to help an EMS locker system fit in with the existing design aesthetic of a healthcare facility.

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions has long been seen as an industry-leading vending machine manufacturer, as well as a solutions provider for vending operators and businesses of all sizes. One of the company’s current focuses involves promoting vending machines that are designed for an office  and retail environment that enable businesses to safely and securely store and organize various types of office supplies.

The West Region EMS and the Trauma Care Council event will take place on February 20-22, 2015 at the Ocean Shores Convention Center in Ocean Shores, Washington. Now in it’s 30th year, the event is designed to bring healthcare professionals involved in emergency care together for an educational conference designed to share information, empower people with new technology and alert them to the types of solutions that will help them do their jobs better on a daily basis.