Site visits boost understanding of logistics issues

HSV’s Supply Chain teams are continuing to enhance their understanding of customer needs through a series of health service site visits.

HSV’s Logistics and Procurement teams recently visited The Royal Melbourne Hospital’s (RMH) new Elizabeth Street offices and main campus, where they toured the receiving and loading docks.

The visit helped the team gain a deeper understanding of the challenges involved in unloading and transporting stock to the relevant hospital wards and storage facilities.

RMH Inventory Manager Jarret Stark facilitated a discussion on topics ranging from demand planning and alternative products to delivery windows and order processes.   

“It was extremely beneficial for our team to be able to meet with the people we deal with every day and show them the space constraints we operate in. We were also able to discuss some potential changes we could make on both ends to improve workflows” says Jarret.

HSV Director Logistics Armin Odobasic says the visit was overwhelmingly positive and a great opportunity to strengthen communication with the health service team.

“We explored future improvements we could implement to better meet their needs,” says Armin.

“For example, we discussed moving away from non-urgent same day deliveries and adjusting delivery times and methods to better suit the hospital’s receiving operations timetable.

“We also heard that more consolidated deliveries would reduce double handling and multiple deliveries to wards on the same day,” he says.

HSV’s Director Procurement Rebecca Prior says visiting the site gave her a greater understanding of the degree of complexity involved in managing deliveries at the loading dock.

“The group worked through operational challenges with both organisations displaying flexibility and a willingness to change. The RMH team provided helpful solutions to some of our challenges,” Rebecca says.

The storage facilities at The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre

Meanwhile HSV’s Supply Chain Surety team visited the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre in August to get a better understanding of the product journey from HSV’s Distribution Centre to the hospital ward.

Supply Chain Surety Manager Paul Callahan said the visit helped the team understand how deliveries can be better managed to ensure products get to the right location as efficiently as possible.

“We learned that Peter Mac don’t have a lot of storage space available, so our priority same-day shipment service is very important for them,” he said.

The Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre Clinical Products Advisor Amanda Champion said HSV’s visit to the theatre’s sterile stores and pharmacy department was highly beneficial.

“The Surety team had an opportunity to see the workflow challenges we experience because of supply chain constraints and backorders in a clinically complex environment,” says Amanda.

“It was also helpful to discuss some of the supply chain challenges we’re experiencing in Victoria,” she says.

HSV’s Procurement team has also visited health services in recent weeks including Austin Health, The Royal Children’s Hospital and Eastern Health to learn more about their priorities in terms of upcoming PPE and pharmaceutical procurement activities.

These site visits, which take place in addition to our regular Customer Relationship Manager visits, are a positive way for HSV to improve the customer experience for health services. If your health service would like to arrange a site visit with us, please contact your Customer Relationship Manager. 

Top photo: (L to R) Raul Mas, Euan Bolton, Armin Odobasic, RMH Acting Supply Manager Tom Tasev, Rebecca Prior, RMH Inventory Manager Jarret Stark, Josh Lotter, Manny Ioane.