Atlanta, Georgia Wireless Palm Application Development

Atlanta, Georgia Wireless Palm Application Development

Distribution and Inventory Tracking: Crosslink Orthopaedics/Stryker

	BACKGROUND

Crosslink, a division of Stryker, is a leader in the worldwide orthopedic market and is one of the world's largest medical device companies. Since the Company's founding in 1941, they have believed that results speak louder than words. This philosophy has placed them at the forefront of medicine's most promising solutions in joint replacements, trauma, spine and micro implant systems, orthobiologics, powered surgical instruments, surgical navigation systems, endoscopic products as well as patient handling and emergency medical equipment. Stryker also provides outpatient physical therapy services in the United States and assists medical professionals in helping millions of people around the world live more active, more satisfying lives.

	CHALLENGE

Crosslink Orthopaedics, operating in the states of Georgia and South Carolina, is a rapidly growing distribution arm of Stryker Orthopaedics. Objectware had previously created a web based solution to help Crosslink manage order placement, fulfillment, distribution, and inventory tracking of their organ replacement kits.

Desiring to build on the strength of our web application, Crosslink asked Objectware to extend the remote functionality to technicians who spend the majority of their time traveling to various hospitals assisting doctors during the operation. The challenge was to provide real-time inventory control, reordering and scheduling to the technicians whether on the move or in the Operating Rooms.

	SOLUTION

Objectware equipped Crosslink’s field techs with wireless Palm Pilots loaded with a bar code scanner and a custom software. The wireless Palm application provided the office employees and field agents with a consistent real-time view of schedules and inventory. Furthermore, field techs are now able to easily scan and easily track inventory usage in real-time from the Operating Room, providing accurate and timely kit depletion information. This enabled Crosslink to maintain tighter control of inventory and ensure that the kits were replenished immediately and ready for the next operation.

"We are extremely excited about the opportunities to improve our work processes, service quality and inventory accuracy; all while reducing our dependence on labor and paper intensive processes," says Joe Carlson, Operations Manager for Crosslink in Atlanta, GA. "Objectware's designers and programmers rapidly grasped the scope and details of our business and have instilled a high level of confidence and anticipation in our project."