When it consolidated storage for its four Richmond, Va., area hospitals, Bon Secours Richmond Health System became one of the first medical care organizations to supply multiple medical centers from a single location.

To make its new system in Richmond work, Bon Secours installed two pods of four horizontal carousels (White Systems, 800-275-1442) equipped with warehouse control software to coordinate the fully automated system.

In addition to saving space and protecting supplies, the carousels increased organization, improved inventory accuracy and control, and improved picking productivity.

The carousels store up to 2,500 stock keeping units (SKUs) within a compact, aisle-less design. A pick-to-light system lines up with each carousel shelf, guiding workers to pick the right quantities of the right items in this just-in-time environment. Product is now dispensed in the lowest units of measure at a 98% daily fill rate.

The warehouse control software works behind the scenes to direct order fulfillment. It eliminates traditional paperwork, freeing up orderpickers to focus on selecting items.

When each task is completed, the software notifies the host computer, making a permanent record of the pick. In addition, the system is fully integrated with the operation's other computer systems, running on the latest Windows operating system.

Because hospital supplies are often valuable or delicate items, keeping them secure is a major priority. The carousel system provides a significant security upgrade over the old manual system, ensuring access to items is limited to the picking personnel and preventing damage from occurring on cluttered or disorganized shelves.