pharmaceutical shelves with workspacesIn hospitals, time is of the essence more than ever. Patients need their medicine, and nurses need their supplies so they can do their job right—and fast. That’s why two hospital campuses, both belonging to the largest non-profit healthcare provider in the Seattle area, contacted our healthcare storage specialist, Jim Deller. Knowing that an efficient storage solution would not only save time but save lives, Jim recommended an adjustable pharmaceutical shelving system as well as wire mobile shelving for supply storage in both applications. Read on to find out how these solutions improved every aspect of the hospital’s storage.

Pharmacy Shelves with Integrated Work Surfaces

The first campus was previously using a high density mobile system for their inpatient pharmacy that was too confining for their needs. In this high-traffic area, staff found that they had to move the units too often and couldn’t stay in the aisles for very long. Overall, for the type of storage they needed, it was not conducive to productivity. The staff was also having a hard time moving around and finding what they needed since the room was quite cramped. Retrieving supplies was a burdensome task for everyone.

First, the adjustable bin shelving system was installed for storing pharmaceuticals. It was imperative that these prescriptions were easy for pharmacists to retrieve for patients and not take up very much space. Staff also needed enough room to be able to sort, process, and distribute the pharmaceuticals on tables.

However, it turned out that there was no need to make extra room for the tables. Instead, work surfaces could be integrated right into the shelving itself. Now staff can simply take the bins they need off the shelves and sort them on the work surfaces. This not only saves space but reduces travel time from shelving to work spaces. Little efficiencies like this go a long way towards saving time, especially in a busy hospital. There was even enough room to include a mobile wire shelving system for storing IVs and other supplies, allowing them to consolidate everything they needed into one area.

Consolidating Storage From Two Rooms to One

adjustable pharmaceutical shelvingAt another campus, staff was facing a similar problem. Their storage consisted of one wire rack with everything else stored across the hall in another room. This meant they had to spend more time traveling to retrieve what they needed. Staff also had to lock and unlock the rooms multiple times during the course of the day, which wasted time. The rooms also had little space with wood shelves and casework that were not adjustable and provided no flexibility. People were literally bumping into each other when trying to navigate through the narrow aisles.

The staff also wanted a storage solution that would store everything in one room and provide enough space for them to move around comfortably. The staff wanted to be able to adjust their storage as their needs changed over the years. Adjustable pharmaceutical shelving was able to solve every space and flexibility concern.

Overcoming Building Obstructions

Another challenge was that the storage room included many columns in the space. The shelves would have to fit around these obstructions efficiently.

The adjustable pharmaceutical shelving offers a great amount of flexibility that can be moved up, down, angled, or straight. Staff members can quickly adjust the shelves anytime. For future needs, it’s easy to include new features later on. The shelves also saved a huge amount of space (despite the presence of multiple columns throughout the room) because they can be mounted against the wall.In-Patient Pharmacy Storage

The pharmacy even had some leftover space available. A mobile wire shelving system stores IV and bulk supplies in the same room as pharmaceuticals. This allowed them to reduce their storage from two different rooms to one. This means less time spent traveling from one room to another, supplies that are easier to find and access, and better security since staff only need to worry about keeping one room locked and secured. The clear bins also offer enhanced visibility of stored pharmaceuticals. This further decreases the time it takes for staff to find what they need.

Both campuses very much enjoy their new storage for pharmaceuticals and hospital supplies. It’s now easier than ever for staff to find and retrieve supplies, take inventory, ensure security, and get what patients need faster. This has overall translated to a more positive work environment, where staff has gone from stressed to smiling. Now they can get back to serving patients instead of worrying about where everything is.

Contact Us for Adjustable Pharmaceutical Shelving

We offer design and installation services for adjustable pharmaceutical shelving in applications just like this one. We will also provide you with a free consultation to determine your exact needs and specifications before the design process begins. To learn more or to speak with a specialist, call us at 1-800-803-1083 or send us a message today.