New Zealand Public Hospital Relies on CipherLab's RS35 Touch Mobile Computers to Optimize Warehouse Process

Hospital Supply Chain

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New Zealand hospitals are clean, safe, and regularly updated in technology. There are roughly 80 public hospitals across New Zealand, mostly in cities and large towns. Public hospitals were always operated and owned by 20 New Zealand District Health Boards (DHBs), and the DHB was responsible for providing or funding health services within each district. However, beginning on 1 July 2022, the functions of these 20 DHBs were merged into Te Whatu Ora, which took over the NZ Health responsibility and began leading the day-to-day management of the health system for the whole country. Te Whatu Ora also undertook the operational functions of the Ministry of Health, including managing national contracts.

Public hospitals in New Zealand had been using WinCE handheld terminals for nearly 6 years. They primarily used these devices to manage hospital supply chain functions, from storage locations around hospitals to the main stores, including such functions as receiving, puttingaway, picking, stocktaking and restocking medical supplies, such as surgical gloves, cotton, blood pressure monitors, and so on. Moreover, they typically use these devices to track assets in their various operating theaters.

However, with the implementation of the ERP system in 2021, the public hospital began considering replacing its Windows CE device, for which Microsoft had stopped supporting security updates and patches, with a mobile device running on an Android system. Therefore, the hospitals needed a suitable mobile computer that would seamlessly integrate with their preferred ERP system and enable ERP mobility.

Because of its importance in hospital use, handheld terminals should always be able to be sterilized with alcohol. They also require a large display for daily operation, the latest Android operating system, and sufficient after-sales service locations available nationwide.

In 2020, CipherLab partnered with PB Tech to introduce our RS35 mobile computers and services to NZ Health for public hospital applications. PB Tech, New Zealand's largest computer and IT retailer with 18 stores across the country, is tasked with inspecting and troubleshooting all devices.


Since 2021 many of New Zealand's public hospitals have been using CipherLab's RS35 touch mobile computers for their warehousing and operating theaters' asset tracking. The 5.5” large screen makes viewing information easier and more comfortable. Also, Android 10 allows for greater user control over data app usage and adds more APIs to fulfill OEMs' needs to integrate current warehouse operations. And regarding health concerns, the RS35 is alcohol-disinfectant-safe between uses with all major disinfectant solutions such as Clinell alcohol wipes, including wiping the housing, keypad, and all other surfaces.

CipherLab also offers the CipherLab Service Advantage warranty service to provide additional protection for mobile computers used in hospital environments. Our extended warranty program streamlines and expedites repairs, maximizing hospital uptime.

Using RS35 touch mobile computers in public hospitals as a front-end inventory processing system and as a back-end enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution has improved overall inventory management. And, thanks to the mobility of the ERP system, administrative staff can access, enter and update inventory data in real-time and even schedule reorders with suppliers accordingly.