LSU Transport uses TrueMobile to increase the control and traceability of internal shipments at Uppsala University Hospital.
“Optidev’s mobile track and trace system has enabled us to lower shrinkage from SEK 15,000 to SEK 400 per month,” says Jonas Berglund, director of transportation services at Uppsala University Hospital. “More important than the cost saving is the improvement in our reputation.”
Background
LSU Transport is the hospital’s internal transportation and logistics department. It handles all the hospital’s internal shipments and is responsible for packages and other types of shipments reaching the right recipients among the hospital’s more than 8,000 employees. Every year LSU Transport handles more than one million shipments.
Problem
LSU Transport lacked a system for traceability and proof of delivery. External transportation companies such as DHL and UPS provided tracking information for packages until they had been delivered to the hospital. After that LSU Transport was responsible for the shipments, but it had no tools to track or confirm when a package had been delivered to the right recipient in the hospital.
“Our business unit is financially responsible for all packages until they are delivered to the final recipient,” says Berglund. “The lack of control impacted our budget negatively, and we wasted a lot of time looking for misplaced packages. Even worse, it gave us a bad reputation internally.”
Solution
LSU Transport chose TrueMobile, a mobility service for data capture and real-time traceability. Everything is included at a fixed monthly cost per user — the mobile MC55 computer from Motorola, printing capability, a stand-alone Web site for track and trace, GPRS data, 24-hour exchange repairs, and support.
LSU Transport uses the mobile computer to scan the shipping label, and the name of the delivery company is selected from a menu when packages arrive at the hospital. The shipping label is then scanned again when LSU Transport delivers the package to the final destination in the hospital. The recipient confirms the delivery by signing directly on the mobile computer screen, and the signature is saved as an image file.
Some hospital units have signed a special agreement that allows LSU Transport to scan a unique bar code instead of requiring a signature as proof of delivery. All captured data is time-stamped, and the responsibility for the package is clearly transferred to the recipient. All deviations, such as a missed delivery, can also be reported by using the mobile computer.
All captured data is sent in real time via GPRS to TrueMobile Web, where LSU Transport can track all packages and see who signed for the delivery. TrueMobile Web is a stand-alone track and trace Web site that does not require any integration with the hospital’s IT systems.
Advantages
TrueMobile provides real-time traceability and proof of delivery. The responsibility for every package is clearly handed over to the recipient by scanning the hospital unit’s unique delivery code or by having the recipient sign for the package upon delivery.
“Thanks to the new system, we know when a package has been delivered and who has signed for it,” continues Berglund. “We spend much less time on phone calls and looking for lost packages and can provide better quality and service to our customers.”
Implementation
The TrueMobile software consists of standard modules that have been adjusted to LSU Transport’s needs. TrueMobile is a stand-alone solution that communicates via the cellular network. It does not require a local LAN connection or integration with the hospital’s IT systems.
“The simple implementation of TrueMobile saved us a lot of time and money,” states Berglund. “The software did not require access to the local network, nor did it need integration with the hospital’s IT systems.
Additionally, TrueMobile is easy to customize to the customer's needs. The solution is not only fast to implement, it is easy to use and does not require any training.