Medica Europe is a supplier of medical disposables, headquartered in Oss, the Netherlands. In Oss, Medica assembles its Custom Procedure Trays (CPTs) for the European market.

Custom Procedure Trays

Custom Procedure Trays are tailor-made sterile parcels, containing all or nearly all disposable products needed for a single operation in a hospital. Medica has been relying on Vos Logistics since 2000 for logistics around these CPTs. Early 2019, the collaboration between Vos Logistics, Medica and a regional hospital was expanded.

A unique collaboration

Storage space in hospitals is scarce. In a push to use that space more effectively, a hospital requested to reduce stocks of procedure trays on their premises. Without impacting planned operations, obviously, because immediate availability of all supplies needed is literally lifesaving. This request was the starting point of a unique collaboration between the hospital, Medica and Vos Logistics: Medica’s Custom Procedure Trays are repackaged in the Vos Logistics distribution centre to prepare them for direct use in the operating room. This offers various advantages:

• Reduction of storage space demand and unpacking activity in the hospital
• Simplified and more efficient logistical processing of sterile products
• CPT’s repackaged and transported in sterile environment, ready for use in operating rooms
• Time savings in hospital, to be used for patient care
   

Mathieu van Lent, Director Sales & Marketing at Medica: “The concept of Custom Procedure Trays offers users sterilised parcels of equipment, assembled according to their needs. We adapt CPTs for each medical specialty. Using CPTs, the efficiency in operating rooms increases. The close collaboration with both the hospital and our specialised partner Vos Logistics has led to a successful implementation of this concept in a regional hospital.”

Just-in-time delivery

From then on, Vos Logistics did not just take care of logistics for the products the hospital ordered, but also of the repackaging of Medica’s CPTs, making sure the trays needed are delivered just in time, at the right moment, eliminating the need to keep stocks at the hospital.

More time for patient care

Hospital staff are content with outsourcing the repackaging process to Vos Logistics’ warehouse, as it reduces the need for storage facilities and time needed for unpacking on premise. The just-in-time logistical process of sterile products is a cost-efficient solution to them.

“Vos Logistics makes daily deliveries to all hospitals throughout the Benelux area. From our modern distribution centre in Oss, which holds a permit for wholesale activities, we offer value-added logistics services like sterile repackaging, as well as just-in-time delivery through our own healthcare distribution network to hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Just-in-time delivery of Custom Procedure Trays offers hospitals an opportunity to simplify their logistics and save costs. We continuously improve our services to remain abreast with the most recent innovations. We are currently working with the same hospital on a new project, aimed at finding the most sustainable transport solutions, involving electrical vehicles. Our close collaboration precipitates valuable improvements of processes, fully optimised, in line with everyone’s specifications and capabilities and ready to implement. At Vos Logistics, we are always eager to think along with our customers: whenever we can contribute to simplifying logistical processes, we are here for it.” Marcel van Etten, Business Development Manager Solutions

Innovation and sustainability

Vos Logistics and Medica are working closely together to expand this unique service to other hospitals in the Benelux area. The improved logistical processes and the adapted Custom Procedure Trays offer benefits for all parties involved, not least the hospital patients themselves.

Medica’s mission is to book the best results with hospitals by helping them use their people and their means in the most efficient way. Healthcare operations today are faced with increased pressure to do more with fewer people and fewer means, so efficiency is of key importance. Medica strives to give hospitals more grip on their costs and take some logistical activity off their hands, allowing more space for hospitals to focus on their main task: caring for patients.