B. Braun Aesculap: Shaping the digital transformation

The digital transformation is permanently changing the collaboration between B. Braun Aesculap AG and its customers – from supplier to integrated system partner for surgery. To shape the digital transformation, Aesculap relies on SAP Cloud Platform and the expertise of IBsolution. As the first step in an overarching strategy, the medical technology manufacturer has had an app developed that allows hospitals to maintain packing lists for sterile supplies themselves using mobile devices. By analyzing the data obtained via the apps, Aesculap gains valuable insights into its customers’ processes.

Safety is the highest good in surgery – for patients and for staff. B. Braun Aesculap, a division of the medical technology manufacturer B. Braun Melsungen AG, therefore supports surgical teams and hospitals in their work as a system partner. In addition to innovative products and solutions, the focus is also on consulting and service. In line with the motto “Sharing Expertise” new products are developed together with customers and processes for the supply, reprocessing and disposal of surgical instruments are continually optimized. For example, as part of its digitization strategy, the medical technology manufacturer has developed innovative services that are intended to further bind existing customers to the company and include attractive services for new customers.

App marketplace for hospitals

The digital transformation is opening up completely new opportunities for Aesculap in its collaboration with customers. Beyond surgical items, the company is expanding its offering to include software solutions for process optimization and compliance with legal requirements. The company now offers its customers a digital service platform with apps to support various routine activities in the hospital. Until now, these were often performed manually with the support of paper documentation. The apps provided, which can be used intuitively, accelerate these processes and increase their efficiency.

An important component of the digitization strategy is the use of modern and open technologies, such as those offered by SAP HANA Cloud Platform. The Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) environment forms the technological basis for the service platform at Aesculap. Easy-to-use apps (SAP UI5) are to be offered there, with which the hospital staff, but also the company’s own sales staff, can perform specific tasks consistently and efficiently.

The first mobile app to be developed is the “Count Sheet Manager” – or packing list generator – which is already in use at many hospitals. This enables the Central Sterile Services (CSS) to retrieve up-to-date packing list information for the packaging of contaminated instruments via iPad at any time. The data is managed in the cloud; all that is needed is normal internet access. The app is particularly helpful for smaller hospitals that cannot afford their own instrument management system (IMS). In a next step, the app will be expanded to include additional functions, for example instructions for reprocessing instruments or for setting up and dismantling medical equipment.

Detailed, visually prepared evaluations

Intelligent analyses can be used to gain new, comprehensive insights from the data obtained with the help of the app and to identify correlations that can be evaluated in the SAP BusinessObjects tools. Visually prepared via drag-and-drop and accessible anywhere via tablet or smartphone.

Instrument management systems from other hospitals can also be connected directly to SAP HANA Cloud Platform and their data included in the analyses. In this way, Aesculap gains valuable insights into its customers’ processes, can identify potential for optimization, and develop tailored solutions and consulting services.

Fast time-to-market

Short development times and low effort can be crucial for the success of a new idea. In the development of the digital service platform and the packing list generator app, these requirements were achieved using agile development methods based on Scrum. In collaboration with the business departments, first a prototype and later a mock-up of the new app were created. This quickly showed whether the requirements could be met as desired or whether new thinking was required. Change requests and additional requirements could be tipped in during the development process and implemented spontaneously – without detailed specifications and cumbersome planning processes.

A central success factor of the project is SAP HANA Cloud Platform. It provides the necessary infrastructure, predefined data models, a user-friendly interface and access management functions. So instead of worrying about servers and data lines, everyone involved can concentrate fully on developing and optimizing the app itself and marketing it. A great side effect: Despite significantly more digital tasks, IT costs are reduced.