www.hpnonline.com/inside/2009-09/0909-Storage.html -
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Published on: 1/1/2009
Last Visited: 8/26/2009
Richard Philippe, president, Logi-D, New York, and Laval, Quebec, Canada, emphasized his company's association with Scan Modul System and the successful vertical high-density storage systems that maximize space with easy access.
"Vertical high-density systems save space typically lost between shelves, as modules are inserted in a way similar to drawers," Philippe noted.
" Scan Modul System offers a wide variety of module depths and a flexible, precise dividing system to ensure no space is lost within the modules.
It also uses height ergonomically [in that] its cabinets stand almost 7 feet high.
However, the uppermost modules are inserted at an angle, allowing for even shorter users to access supplies without the need for a step stool.
These modules can be permanently angled or inserted straight and angled only as they are pulled out."
Philippe urged modularity over built-in or fixed-space cabinet systems.
"Gains in storage space generated by these features are as high as 50 percent, compared to traditional and widely-used wire mesh, built-in or fixed-cabinet shelving systems," he noted.
But ease-of-use should trump bells and whistles, Philippe indicated.
"Maximizing the use of space should not come at the expense of the ease with which users find and retrieve products," he continued.
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"The best storage system is only as good as its implementation," Philippe advised.
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Combining RFID for collecting consumption data with vertical high-density storage options can help facilities decentralize their inventory operations to a point-of-use process with lower management costs and reduced backorders, according to Philippe.
"External studies and our own observations have revealed that nursing staff spend 15 to 30 minutes per individual per shift looking for products they need to perform clinical tasks," he concluded.
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- Richard Philippe, president, Logi-D, New York, and Laval, Quebec, Canada