“It’s wonderfully simple.” Service on demand at Zurich City Hospital
Several hospitals have already successfully put service on demand into operation. One of those is Zurich City Hospital, which ran a pilot project in spring 2021, and then went on to implement it. Zurich City Hospital primarily uses service on demand for transporting beds, though the devices are also used to meet other needs.
Mr Zuber, how have users reacted to your new service on demand service so far?
I haven’t had any negative feedback so far. But, as I always say, no news is good news. If we don’t hear anything, that’s a good sign. We mainly need service on demand for bed management. It allows us to monitor how many clean beds are available in the bedding store.
How has service on demand changed daily working life for those involved?
People who require a service or order something have an easier time placing an order. It’s all done at the click of a button. In return, we in logistics have more control over the ordering process, or the exact number of beds that are available. It’s important we explain clearly to users how to use service on demand For instance, the button board in the bedding store says “Press 1x = 1 bed removed”. This gives you the best result. It does, however, require someone to monitor the process and incoming mail, but it’s worth the extra effort.
What do you personally consider to be the greatest advantage of service on demand in hospitals?
The fact that it relieves the strain on staff and increases efficiency: more efficiency means happier people. For one thing, the users have a really easy time using it. As managers, we also avoid empty runs such as unnecessary checks, we get fewer calls and a reduction in errors because everything is done electronically. This allows us to carry out our task and to guarantee the bedding store is always well stocked.
How did the installation go?
It’s wonderfully simple. Pretty much just “plug and play”. Handling, programming and the analyses are really simple and straightforward. When you’ve launched it, you don’t need constant IT support, which is really convenient.
Can a hospital afford service on demand?
The costs for the devices themselves and to operate the online platform are reasonable. The thing that generated additional costs for us was the range extender for our wireless network given how large our building is. Unfortunately, this did increase the price somewhat.
Where do you see potential in your hospital for expanding service on demand?
There are all sorts of possibilities. If word gets around about service on demand, the service will continue to expand. We’ve already had discussions with people in IT about it, but people who work in the hospitality and cleaning sector could also benefit. There is enormous potential to using service on demand in hospitals because it’s just so versatile.
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