Tag: emt supply vending machine

The Time-Saving EMS Technology You Can’t Afford to Skip

Posted on by John Van Horn

When it comes to pharmaceuticals and EMS equipment, you can never be too careful. It is essential that you have the ability to track products and expiration dates, in order to avoid overordering and shrinkage. UCapIt has the ability to do this, and more, in order to help organizations stay on top of their supplies, without breaking the bank.

Cost-Saving Capabilities

UCapIt’s Supply Room feature saves you time and money by eliminating the need to manually take inventory on the products in your supply room. Instead, your supply room can be accessed anytime and anywhere with just a click of a button. You are also able to see what products are close to expiring, which is beneficial for audits and risk reduction.

The issue of hoarding products can also be eliminated with UCapIt. Thanks to UCapIt’s tracking capabilities, managers are able to track who accesses each product. This cuts down on hoarding products and reduces shrink wastage. 

Product Tracking

Nothing is more frustrating than reaching for Ativan, only to find that it expired two weeks ago. This means that more product has to be thrown out, without even being opened. This is not only frustrating but also a waste of money. By being able to track the expiration dates and lot numbers of products, you save time and money. You avoid over-ordering products and medications. Instead, UCapIt simply tracks products to ensure they are used by their expiration dates.

In addition to tracking expiration dates and lot numbers, UCapIt allows managers to track the medication and medical disposables’ chain of custody. Doing this gives managers the ability to tie the dispense to a specific EMS incident, as well as the placement on a particular med unit.

Interface Options

It is crucial that access to pharmaceuticals and narcotics is limited. That is why UCapIt gives managers the ability to set up multiple interface options to access products. They are even able to set up two-form factor validation, in order to ensure that products are being accessed by the right people. Interface options include biometrics, prox card, bar code, magstripe and/or pinstripe. Knowing who accessed what keeps your employees accountable. It ensures that people are only accessing what is needed, as opposed to hoarding products, saving your organization money. 

Every moment counts in the world of EMS and pharmaceuticals. That is why UCapIt is here to help you track products and save you time and money. To find out more about the benefits of UCapIt and how it can assist your organization, call 1-877-771-4446.

Inventory Management Made Simple with UCapIt

Posted on by SaravanaKumar@wittern.com

One of the greatest challenges today’s EMS professionals and pharmaceutical managers face is medical product supply management and security. In an EMS organization, it is imperative that systems are in place that not only saves you money but also saves you time, especially when lives are on the line. Many organizations across the United States have become creative and turned to UCapIt to help save them both time and money on EMS supply management.

“The cost reduction we realized once we had implemented IDS’ UCapIt solution is a big benefit to us,” says Rich Tvella of Mastic Beach Ambulance Company. “We spend less time doing the manual count and the paperwork to keep track of the physical inventory.” 

With UCapIt you can take back control of your inventory by providing a safer, smarter, and more secure way to accurately assess and track your employee’s usage. Through iQ Technology, our EMS supply vending machines and supply lockers maintain controlled access to pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, meticulously track inventory, and allow instant access to all records.

“UCapit’s reports tell me what I need to know, how many are expiring, where they are located and the name of the medication.  I really like that I can run the report for 90 or more days because I order replacement medications 3-4 months in advance, plus my regular stock…so I know I won’t run out.  Now instead of having to do a count by hand at the end of the month, I check them in when I receive them and simply run the reports I need.”

IDS’ UCapIt provides controlled supply dispensing solutions for emergency medical service organizations including hospitals and fire stations. IDS’ UCapIt solutions allow organizations to secure EMS and narcotics, restrict access by user credentials or product classification, track inventory in real-time, and maintain full accountability and compliance with FDA and DEA regulations.

iQ Technology, the brain behind the UCapIt system, allows EMS organizations to track inventory and alert managers when the supply is running low. This ensures that EMS organizations do not have to scramble to find the supply they need.

Tim Barnett of Kanawha County Emergency Ambulance Authority says, “Previously if a unit ran out of a specific supply, they would have to make a trip to central supply to restock. With the UCapIt vending machines and lockers in place, they have immediate access. Budget numbers indicate we’re under budget in medical supplies and medications compared to this time a year ago.”

Inventory can be managed anytime, anywhere with UCapIt and iQ Technology. Additionally, managers have the ability to see who is accessing what items, when and where they are being accessed. 

UCapIt allows you to be as transparent as you want within your organization. To find out more about the UCapIt EMS and medical inventory management solution, call 1-877-771-4446.

The Importance of Medical Supply Vending Machines in Fire Stations

Posted on by John Van Horn

When you’re a fire fighter, the costs associated with saving lives should never be your top priority. Despite that, ballooning costs are one of the primary challenges that fire stations face all around the country on a daily basis. Luckily, the tides are turning in favor of us all as medical vending machines are being looked at as a way to not only make all of the life-saving equipment necessary to do their jobs readily available at all times, but also to help curb rising costs at the exact same time.

Tulsa, Oklahoma

One example of a situation where medical supply vending machines are having a positive impact comes from Tulsa, Oklahoma, which has already begun the process of rolling out at least one EMS supply vending machine to several fire stations in the area. Fire department officials predict that this one bold move can help save between 30 and 40 percent from traditional medical supply costs for a number of interesting reasons.

For starters, all of the medical vending machines in the Tulsa area will be linked to one another via an active Internet connection. This allows coordinators and other team leaders to get a deeper sense of the products that they have on hand, how they’re being used and which items need to be readily available at a moment’s notice based on the type of real-time, actionable information that only analytics can provide. Even if an incident occurs in the middle of the night, firefighters will have instant access to any critical piece of equipment that they need.

This move is designed to not only save firefighters time, but also to help save taxpayers in the area money as well.

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions

IDS is one of the leading providers of EMT, EMS and general medical Supply Vending machines worldwide. As a company founded on the idea that traditional challenges faced by healthcare professionals can be solved with innovative solutions, the company works hard with fire stations, hospitals and similar types of facilities to address all of their needs in the most forward-thinking ways possible.

IDS’ medical vending machines are designed to empower professionals to not only keep all of the medical supplies and other products needed on hand, but also to help maintain a greater level of control over their inventory and a greater level of security over the supplies themselves at the exact same time.

These are just a few of the reasons why EMS supply vending machine options are playing such an important role in fire stations and other facilities all over the world. As technology continues to advance and companies like IDS continue to push the envelope in terms of things like security and control, it is truly exciting to think about the form that medical supply lockers and similar solutions will take in just a few short years time.

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.

13 Year Old CEO Hopes to Bring His “RecMed First Aid Kits” to Vending Machines

Posted on by John Van Horn

EMS supply vending machines configured to dispense a first aid kit on demand is the brainchild of 13-year-old CEO Taylor Rosenthal. Rosenthal’s company, RecMed First Aid Kits, was developed after a conversation with his parents who are both medical professionals and an opportunity presented by an entrepreneurial class at Opelika Middle School in Opelika, Alabama.

The kits contain basic medical supplies that could be useful to treat minor injuries on the sports field. Antibiotic sprays, bandages, adhesive tape, gauze pads and other first aid supplies come neatly packed in a clear plastic zippered case. Rosenthal has witnessed the need for such kits first-hand. “I mean I see it all the time…kids getting hurt at the ball fields playing baseball or something…and parents just go crazy…”

Rosenthal is working with The Round House Startup Space in Opelika to bring his dream first aid supply vending machines to fruition. According to Kyle Sandler, founder of The Round House, Rosenthal is a particularly devoted, hard-working CEO. Sandler had to essentially kick the teen out of the startup space to send him home on Christmas Eve to spend the holiday at home with his family.

Sandler also remarked that Rosenthal’s age affects how he views vending machines. According to Sandler, “… since he’s 13 and not 25… he’s more used to Redbox… so we made a couple of calls and now we have a computer-aided robotic vending machine in the works…” Eco ATM and RedBox have come on board to help Rosenthal get his product to market.

While sports fields were Rosenthal’s initial inspiration for the RecMed First Aid Kit vending machines, he doesn’t see athletic complexes as the solitary market for his product. He believes that anywhere families gather for recreation would present a feasible marketplace. He is already in talks with Six Flags Amusement Parks officials to places RecMed first aid vending machines in the parks to deal with the minor cuts and scrapes that young children are so prone to.

Rosenthal advanced to the Young Entrepreneurs Academy regional semifinals in Boca Raton in May 2015.

Source:

http://www.wltz.com/story/29172406/opelika-teen-competing-in-the-young-entrepreneurs-academy-regional-finals

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.