Development of a Real-time Request Management and Logistics Platform for Non-Profit Healthcare Support

SA Fighting COVID experienced significant challenges managing a high volume of requests for face shields and coordinating the logistics of printing, sanitizing, and distributing them. Manual processes using Excel spreadsheets proved inadequate for tracking orders, monitoring printer availability, and ensuring timely delivery to end-users. This resulted in inefficiencies, difficulties in scaling operations, and a lack of real-time visibility into the entire process.

A South African non-profit organization dedicated to mobilizing the 3D printing community to provide critical personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline healthcare workers during public health crises.

• Develop a centralized platform to streamline the request process for face shields.
• Implement a robust tracking system to monitor requests from submission to delivery.
• Optimize logistics management for efficient collection, sanitization, and distribution of face shields.
• Increase the scalability of the initiative to handle future high-demand situations.
• Improve communication and collaboration between printers, distributors, and end-users.

• Request Submission & Management: Interface for healthcare facilities to submit shield requests with details like quantity and delivery location.
• Printer Resource Management: System to register and manage available 3D printers, including their capacity and location.
• Automated Matching: Algorithm to match shield requests with available printers based on proximity and capacity.
• Logistics Tracking: Real-time tracking of shield orders from printing to delivery, including collection, sanitization, and distribution stages.
• Communication & Notifications: Multi-way communication channels (e.g., notifications, alerts) to keep all stakeholders informed about order status.
• Reporting & Analytics: Dashboards and reports to monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as the number of shields produced, requests fulfilled, and delivery times.

• Potential integration with existing hospital/clinic systems (e.g., electronic health records) for streamlined request submission – to be defined in future phases.

• Scalability: The platform must be able to handle a large and growing volume of requests and users.
• Performance: The platform should be responsive and provide quick access to information.
• Security: Secure authentication and authorization mechanisms to protect sensitive data.
• Reliability: High availability and uptime to ensure continuous operation.
• Usability: Intuitive and easy-to-use interface for all stakeholders.

This platform will enable SA Fighting COVID to significantly improve the efficiency and scalability of its PPE distribution efforts. By automating request management and logistics, the organization can increase the number of shields produced and delivered to frontline workers, ultimately saving lives and reducing the spread of the virus. The improved visibility and communication will foster greater collaboration among all stakeholders and ensure a more responsive and effective response to future public health crises.