{"id":2547,"date":"2025-09-22T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-09-22T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.icamonline.eu\/newsroom\/senza-categoria\/two-silo-multi-floor-vlms-for-hospital\/"},"modified":"2026-06-24T09:06:00","modified_gmt":"2026-06-24T09:06:00","slug":"two-silo-multi-floor-vlms-for-hospital","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.icamonline.eu\/en\/two-silo-multi-floor-vlms-for-hospital\/","title":{"rendered":"Two SILO\u00b2 multi-floor VLMs for the pharmacy of Panico Hospital in Tricase"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The pharmacy of the Azienda Ospedaliera Cardinale Panico<\/em> in Tricase (LE), a healthcare hub<\/strong> for the Salento area with 400 beds, has undergone a major technological and organizational transformation thanks to the installation of two SILO\u00b2 multi-floor Vertical Lift Modules (VLMs) by ICAM<\/strong>. Installed side by side, the two units directly connect two floors of the building, creating a continuous vertical flow of medicines between the storage area and the pharmacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From manual management to automated logistics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the past, medicines were stored on fixed shelving scattered and unorganized between the basement, used as storage, and the first floor, where the hospital pharmacy is located.
This management model was complex, required several operators, and did not guarantee traceability or accurate batch control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Today, thanks to the installation of the two SILO\u00b2 VLMs, the hospital pharmacy of Panico Hospital has become a benchmark of efficiency for the healthcare system. With a total storage capacity of 20 m\u00b3, the VLMs hold around 20% of all medicine SKUs, but cover over 70% of the daily demand from wards, managed by just one operator. Efficiency, safety, and flow optimization have become concrete and measurable results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Multi-floor installation: a seamless flow<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both SILO\u00b2 units, 6.4 meters high, were configured in multi-floor mode<\/strong>: they span two building levels, eliminating the need for stairs or elevators to directly connect the basement storage area with the first-floor pharmacy. This configuration allows staff to access stored goods from multiple floors<\/strong>, ensuring a continuous and uninterrupted operational flow.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\n Separate management for common and temperature-sensitive medicines\n <\/h2>\n \n
\n The first SILO\u00b2 consists of two storage columns and three side-by-side picking\/refilling stations: two at the pharmacy level, fully dedicated to dispensing medicines, and one in the basement, used exclusively for refilling stock. It manages around 480 SKUs organized on trays following FIFO logic and joint picking, optimizing retrieval times.\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n\n
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\n \"Separate\n <\/div>\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/section>\n\n\n\n


The second SILO\u00b2 is dedicated to temperature-sensitive medicines<\/strong>, such as antibiotics and oncology medicines, which must be stored within a controlled temperature range of +2 \u00b0C to +8 \u00b0C<\/strong>. Redundant refrigeration systems, humidity and temperature sensors, insulated panels, and a sealed station door ensure these critical storage conditions are always maintained, preserving the therapeutic effectiveness of these drugs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Streamlined daily operations<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Every morning, between 8 a.m. and 11 a.m., a single operator completes the picking from both SILO\u00b2 units to prepare therapies for the wards<\/strong>, spending the rest of the day on stock replenishment, batch control, and, when needed, supporting colleagues.
Before automation, almost the entire working day was absorbed by picking for the wards, leaving little time for higher-value tasks, which directly impacted service quality for patients and the efficient management of stock and inventory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Advanced traceability and AIFA alert management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

ICON, the ICAM warehouse management software, is fully integrated with the hospital ERP and the oncology cleanroom systems.<\/strong>
Each SKU is tracked by batch and expiry date, with immediate handling of any AIFA alerts requiring medicine recalls. Real-time inventory updates are always available with a simple click, eliminating the need for lengthy manual checks.
Operationally, ward requests are entered into the hospital ERP the evening before and validated by a pharmacist. They are then transferred to ICON, which automatically generates the picking lists that the operator views the following morning on the workstation PC. Thanks to barcode readers, every inbound and outbound transaction is tracked in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Security as a strategic value: medicines protected like in a vault<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Beyond operational efficiency, the two SILO\u00b2 VLMs provide vault-level protection<\/strong>: anti-intrusion panels, controlled access profiles, and detailed logs of every picking activity. This security system has already proven its effectiveness<\/strong>, preventing losses during an attempted break-in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Integration with other ICAM storage solutions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

In the basement storage area, alongside the SILO\u00b2 units, there are refrigerators at different temperatures, traditional fixed shelving, and ICAM\u2019s COMPATTA LIGHT<\/span><\/span><\/a> mobile racking system<\/strong> for managing low-turnover or temporary storage of medicines and materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \n \n \n \"\"\n <\/button>\n\n <\/figure>\n \n \n \"Compatta\n <\/button>\n\n <\/figure>\n <\/div>\n\n

\n COMPATTA LIGHT\n <\/figcaption>\n <\/figure>\n\n\n\n


This complementary approach demonstrates how an integrated logistics ecosystem can combine different technologies to maximize space and efficiency, achieving the right balance between storage needs, architectural constraints, available budget, and automation levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tangible benefits for hospital management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The adoption of the two SILO\u00b2 VLMs<\/span><\/a><\/strong> <\/span>has delivered measurable results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n