Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), an IT services, consulting and business solutions provider, has announced partnership with SAP to launch an Intelligent Field Inventory Management (iFIM) solution, powered by SAP Leonardo

18June - TCS

Image: TCS’ new solution will streamline and simplify surgical kit handling. Photo: Courtesy of Tata Consultancy Services Limited.

The new iFIM is designed to leverage IoT and blockchain to help medical device manufacturers streamline surgical kit handling through gaining visibility of surgical kit inventory across the value chain.

By simplifying surgical kit handling, the solution is expected to result in improving patient outcomes, optimising field inventory and easing regulatory compliance.

As medical devices are manufactured and delivered across the globe, the supply chain process that includes distributing surgical kits to hospitals and collecting unused inventory is highly fragmented.

Delivering the right kit at the right place and at the right time is challenging for the complex logistics along with ensuring surgical kit efficacy and sterility throughout the supply chain.

TCS said that its iFIM Solution, powered by SAP Leonardo, makes use of Internet of Things (IoT) for traceability of inventory and blockchain to enable greater visibility of that inventory to all stakeholders in the ecosystem – manufacturers, distributors/representatives and hospitals.

TCS life sciences business group head Vikram Karakoti said: “We have been partnering customers in the medical devices and life sciences industry, using our deep domain knowledge and expertise in digital technologies to reimagine key elements of their value chain and launch innovative products that give them competitive differentiation in a Business 4.0 world

“The iFIM Solution leverages SAP’s intelligent enterprise portfolio to utilize IoT and blockchain to help our customers digitally transform their loaner and consignment kit business models and deliver superior outcomes for all stakeholders in their ecosystems.”

In addition, SAP Leonardo IoT business and technical services are capable of enabling iFIM to integrate with core systems and effectively scale to meet the dynamic business requirements of the life sciences supply chain.

SAP life science industries global vice president Carol Mackenzie said: “We are excited to partner with TCS on this solution for the medical device industry. By leveraging TCS’ industry expertise and commitment to quality delivery and customer focus, we are helping life science businesses make the transformational move to an intelligent enterprise.”

TCS claims that its offerings in the field of life sciences are designed to help customers embrace emerging digital technologies to accelerate product innovation, enrich customer experiences, and increase productivity.