Paperless progress

Established in 1988, Anaequip Medical provides quality products and services to all areas of health care including acute, aged care, allied health and laboratories. The company employs a professional service department that maintains and services a large range of equipment in the medical, chiropractic and veterinary industries.

Previously, the company completed a process of manual data input for each service and sale, which was time-consuming and subject to human error. As the industry changed, managing director Peter Herreen recognised the need for a robust digital solution that could automate servicing requirements, minimise a reliance on paper and report discrepancies or inventory errors in real time.

“We saw an opportunity to become as paperless as possible with the advances in technology, which would in turn speed up our overall workflow and allow us to better service our clients," said Herreen.

“We started working with Tech4Biz in 2006 to move our data and analysis systems across to Pervidi Software — paired with a PDA (personal digital assistance) application that automated the process of data entry and reporting with a paperless inspection solution," he said.

“When Pervidi became available on the Android operating platform, we were keen to upgrade to tablets. We were looking for a mobile device that would be easy to use, offer more features and allow for memory expansion to enable us to complete inspections with all necessary resources at hand and in a more efficient manner. The Samsung Galaxy Note tablet met all our criteria."

Anaequip Medical service technicians now use the tablets when completing inspections and servicing in the field. With access to the Pervidi paperless application, the technicians can be notified of scheduled parts replacements and electronically record the results of medical equipment servicing using manufacturer checklists, while taking into consideration relevant Australian Standards and feeding data back to the asset management database. The system also flags outlier and suspected false data for immediate correction.

By becoming more mobile, Anaequip Medical's technicians work more efficiently, utilising the features of the Samsung Galaxy Note devices to easily complete checklists, access reference manuals, capture defects and report in real time to clients.

“Previously, we had to carry large equipment manuals to each inspection site and take numerous data sheets and price lists to fill in, which could be lost along the way," said Herreen. “The Samsung Galaxy Note tablets, hosting the Pervidi paperless application, provide easy access to our electronic resources. The speech-to-text functionality also allows technicians to make their own notes on manuals and documents.

“Going paperless has been a huge success for us. We've had great feedback from all our staff about the ease of using the tablets and how we are now all synced together. By linking calendars as well, we all know each other's location and can respond to callouts in a much more efficient way."

Into 2016 and beyond, the company is looking to continue its move into digital. “At Anaequip Medical, we are always searching for ways to remain ahead of the game. We want to continue to do our job well and be the best at what we do. By becoming as paperless as possible over the next few years, we're looking forward to continuing to increase our workforce efficiency," said Herreen.

Image credit: ©iStockphoto.com/George tsartsianidis