Tug | Aethon

TUG: Automating Delivery to Improve the Delivery of Care

For most hospitals, the essential movement of supplies (medication, linens, food, etc.) from inventory storage to the place where they bring value (the patient) happens in an uncoordinated and redundant manner. With the affordable, easy to implement automated TUG system, a facility can increase delivery efficiency, allowing clinicians to focus on patients and other staff to complete more essential, high-value tasks.

Many Departments: One TUG

Like its tugboat namesake, the TUG safely navigates through hospital corridors, elevators and departments to get items from point A to point B. It rolls 24 hours, 7 days a week to make both scheduled and on-demand deliveries, and never gets sidetracked from its mission. Whether it is a single IV or an entire unit’s medication orders … a roll of gauze or enough supplies to replenish a supply closet, there is nothing too small or too large for the TUG to transport. The versatile TUG system attaches to and transports a wide variety of hospital carts and can be employed for any application and be attached to any of a series of carts (linens, dietary, waste, meds, lab).

Pharmacy

— Meds are delivered with increased accountability through an integrated chain of custody system (MedEx)
— Automated delivery frees pharmacy techs to focus on performing high-value tasks, such as mixing IVs with a reduced chance of error

Nursing

— Meds can be delivered more frequently without additional cost for today’s fast-changing orders
— Nurses can focus their attention on caring for patients rather than hunting down missing meds and supplies

Food Services

— Automated delivery reduces costs and increases on-time reliability
— Foundation for high-delivery models such as concierge/room service
— Hostesses can remain on the floor, providing additional touches critical to patient satisfaction and reducing non-clinical tasks for nurses

Environmental Services

— Waste (regular and regulated) can be picked up more frequently, improving infection control and maintaining a cleaner appearance in the facility
— Ongoing waste pickup can reduce space required for trash in revenue-producing areas
— Automated waste transport reduces the risk of workplace injuries from moving heavy loads

Lab

— Lab test items can be delivered to the laboratory on an ad hoc basis, thereby speeding up the results process
— The system has call functionality for making deliveries to departments behind locked doors

Linen

Materials Distribution

— Supplies can be delivered as needed to satisfy fast-changing orders with acute patients
— Reliable delivery and pickup reduces the urge to hoard supplies
— Nurses get what they need, when they need it
— High-priced equipment and supplies are tracked, decreasing the number of lost items and the need to incur rental fees

TUG Bottom Line: Creating an Environment Conducive to Patient Care

Increased productivity.

TUG operates around the clock, including nights and weekends. It does not get distracted while making a delivery, allowing it to accomplish more in less time. With TUG, your clinical team spends fewer hours running around and more time on essential patient-focused activities.

Enhanced patient care and satisfaction.

TUG frees your staff from “invisible” tasks, enabling you to refocus them on patient care. As a result, patients’ needs for responsiveness and personal attention are met more effectively.

Sound ROI.

For a 300-bed facility, an estimated $4 million dollars is spent annually on the task of pushing carts. One TUG, working just two shifts seven days per week, saves the labor of 2.8 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees, yet costs less than a single FTE. Combine this with TUG’s other productivity and care delivery advantages, and the TUG is an investment that provides significant returns for years to come.

Greater patient safety.

Nurses spend significant time performing non-critical activities, such as delivering and retrieving food trays, blood products or laboratory specimens. By handling these routine tasks, TUG allows RNs to remain on their units with their attention focused on patients.

Improved employee satisfaction.

One common complaint in the healthcare industry is slow delivery. With TUG, medical professionals — nurses in particular — get the supplies required for them to care for patients in a timely manner.

Competitive advantage.

TUG is a highly visible sign of a hospital’s dedication to delivering a standout patient experience. This innovative robotic system supports a facility’s reputation as being on the leading edge of medical care.