The Challenges

Replacing Old Tube System Technology Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Technical Director, Lillian M. Murk recalls Mount Sinai’s past transport experience. “We were facing a negative situation. The hospital had long ago shut down an antiquated pneumatic tube system and was forced to rely on manual transport—primarily porter services,” she

recounted. “But with the porter labor pool reduced, delivery to the laboratory became untimely,” she states.

Samples were not only held up but also arrived in batches resulting in a slowdown of processing. In addition, the logistics of manual delivery were hampered by an overburdened elevator system. When talk of another tube system was initiated—a justifiably skeptic nursing staff voiced their concern based on previous transport system experiences.

“We began studying the problem by developing a very thorough business plan,” Murk recalls. “Cost savings, system efficiency and vendor reputation were all high on the list.” But, as Murk emphasizes, “Reliability was the single most important criteria.”

Several disciplines, including nursing were drawn into the investigation process. The nursing staff was apprehensive about a move towards installing another pneumatic tube system based on past experiences. Some members of the nursing staff, however, had gained first hand experience with the Swisslog system at nearby Sick Children’s Hospital—and their testimony assisted in moving the selection process forward.

A High Throughput— Large Volume Problem
Another material transport problem at Mount Sinai existed between the 4th and 6th floors of the main facility laboratory and a renovated ambulatory lab. There was a need to accommodate 24-hour urine collection—a high throughput demand—but in larger payload volumes than handled by a pneumatic tube system.

This area was being served by a “dumb waiter”. According to Lillian Murk, “Walking the sample was actually faster.”

Multiple Buildings
A third problem arose when a gynecology and obstetrics program transferred into the hospital. Available space was already restricted, so the Mount Sinai staff located space remotely, about one block distance away in the Hydrol building —renting an entire floor.

Downtown weather, traffic and congestion made the prospect of manual transport between buildings extremely time consuming and costly.

The Solutions

TransLogic Pneumatic Tube System
For a justifiably skeptic nursing staff, the 6-inch TransLogic pneumatic tube system proved to be an efficient and reliable way to transport samples, lab materials, and nursing materials throughout the hospital.

TransLogic Track Vehicle System
The solution for the 4th and 6th floor laboratory “dumb waiter” challenge was the installation of a Swisslog TransLogic track vehicle loop system.

According to Murk, this low voltage—quiet transport cart-on-track filled the bill. The self-leveling container travels quietly in a continuous horizontal and vertical loop between the lab stations—smoothly transporting the urine specimens as well as other lab materials.

TransLogic Pneumatic Tube System Goes Underground
Murk surprised the operational team with a pre-investigated study that involved routing a pneumatic tube system beneath the surface—through two adjoining hospital parking structures, then tying into the Mount Sinai pneumatic tube system.

The underground pneumatic tube system eliminated the challenges and time-delaying factors that came with manual transport in-between the hospital buildings, and greatly improved efficiency and processing times.

The Results

Speaking of the pneumatic tube system, Lillian Murk remarks, “We are very pleased with the system. It has proven to meet our highest priority—reliability!” And the nursing staff? Nurses have placed complete confidence in the system, to the point where staff members in areas without tube stations will move to areas served by the tube system to save valuable time.

The track vehicle system works quietly, daily—side by side with the pneumatic tube system in the laboratory.

And finally, the underground remote tube system—it is busy speeding samples from point of dispatch to point of arrival in a total travel time of 40 seconds!

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