Overview

Colombo's Direct Delivery Systems are highly advanced, microprocessor-controlled pneumatic tube systems designed with special features for the safe and immediate delivery of specimens, blood products, medications, controlled substances, I.V. solutions and other patient-care items. Each system is composed of a main station, typically located within the Pharmacy, Laboratory or Blood Bank, servicing one to seven remote stations located in the patient-care areas.

To achieve the throughput and capacity of the enterprise, multiple dedicated systems of different sizes (4" and 6") may be deployed separately in Lab and Pharmacy. A predetermined and repeatable turnaround time can be achieved for a given critical-care area, such as an Emergency Room, by limiting the number of remote stations designed on a given system or just having one remote station on that system. This multiple-dedicated-system format is simple, virtually silent, error-free and easy to operate for the users, as they can only transact with Lab or Pharmacy. The extremely small footprint of remote stations allows the equipment to be installed above counters and under cabinets in locked Med Rooms for Pharmacy, or in convenient corridor locations for Lab, which provides great design flexibility for dedicated Lab and Pharmacy systems. This dedicated-system approach provides a complete separation of clean and biohazardous materials, providing the optimum in infection control.

Features

Each system at the main station has an Ethernet-based microprocessor controller with a touch screen LCD display. The Lab, Pharmacy and Blood Bank personnel are constantly informed of all transactions and system activity in real time, providing an ongoing chain of custody for materials delivered within these systems. All transaction log files with dates, times and destinations may be recalled and viewed on the display at any time, providing immediate accountability for all system users. These displays will allow the main station operators to perform the first level of maintenance and clear any system anomalies quickly and easily, reducing or eliminating unnecessary system downtime. The system has many user parameter settings that may be administered at the display for system optimization.

The following transaction features are available to the main station operators:

Standard Features:

Main Station Touch Screen Interface
A fully functioning touch screen panel allows users at different levels of security, easy access to operating, maintenance, and administrative features; as well as providing real time on-screen system tracking. 

Manual Carrier Return
A transaction sent to a remote station may be returned to the main station at any time. This feature allows users to maintain complete control of the transaction; they can pull back a carrier after they send it. No other system on the market offers this feature!

Auto Carrier Return
Activating this feature when a transaction is sent will automatically return the carrier to the main station if it is not removed from the remote station in a predetermined timeframe. Through this delivery method, whole blood and other sensitive materials will be protected from delays in being reached by the caregiver. No other system on the market offers this feature!

Stat Dispatch
In a busy environment a stat dispatch may be executed ahead of queued up transactions by the main station from Lab, Pharmacy or Blood Bank.

Web Based System Tracking
Using your current internet browser, securely track all system activity from any network connected terminal within your facility or through an internet connected terminal, anywhere!

Optional Features:

Secure Transaction
Our System III offers a totally secure environment in patient-care areas by requiring an employee’s badge to be read and recorded by the system before he or she is granted access to the system. Sensitive or controlled substances can be delivered by the use of an ever-changing code and card swipe of an employee badge. Our System III offers the most secure transaction available on the market today!

System Configurations
An individual system may be set up with two main stations to provide service from a main pharmacy and a satellite pharmacy to a specific group of patient-care areas. The availability of each main station to the users is set at the touch screen display at either main station. Transactions delivered and sent by either main station are transparent to the patient-care areas, allowing the main stations to service the patient-care areas on each pharmacy’s schedule.