In a presentation at the Connect 2023 conference titled “Resource Scheduling: The Final Frontier,” W. John Durfee, Director of the Animal Resource Center at Case Western Reserve University, shared his insights into the innovative application of resource scheduling in animal resource management.
In this article, we’ll summarize highlights from this enlightening presentation, which you can watch in full by joining the Connect Community.
Background of the Animal Resource Center
The Animal Resource Center at Case Western Reserve University is primarily focused on mice, with approximately 16,000 cages. The Center employs 62 full-time employees (FTEs) and operates across 48 animal housing rooms in three central facilities.
Strategic goals and challenges
In 2017, the Animal Resource Center embraced a digital transformation by implementing Cayuse, transitioning to a paperless system. The primary goal was to unify operations under a single software system, avoiding standalone solutions or extensive customizations. They were ready to adapt their processes to align with an overarching system, given that daily operations were flexible enough to accommodate changes.
Implementing Cayuse
Cayuse revolutionized several aspects of the Animal Resource Center’s operations:
- Barcode inventory: Cayuse facilitated barcode-based inventory management, allowing technicians to instantly submit health reports cage-side.
- Health report management: Veterinary staff could interact with health reports, creating electronic health records.
- Customization for notifications: A crucial customization allowed for notifying all personnel on a protocol about animal care and other issues, not just the principal investigator.
- Upgraded hardware: Changes in iPad formats and Motorola sleds prompted the Center to adapt by using iPads in protective cases for barcode scanning, ensuring uninterrupted operational efficiency.
Overcoming challenges with interim solutions
Before fully integrating Cayuse, the Center relied on interim solutions like Google Forms for task completion in animal rooms. However, these methods had limitations in real-time data accessibility and analysis.
Needs that arose during implementation included:
- Real-time assignment tracking, a requirement for efficient workflow management.
- Integrating time off with assignments to account for absences and reassign tasks accordingly.
- Cage maintenance tracking, which helps evaluate employee productivity and operational efficiency.
Obstacles to adoption—and their solutions
Integrating the new system required overcoming initial resistance, particularly from managers accustomed to traditional methods. However, the utility of the system in real-time management and task reassignment eventually won them over.
Cayuse not only streamlined operations, but also provided valuable data for managing staff workload and performance. Managers could now dynamically reassign tasks based on real-time progress.
Future prospects
Cayuse has proved efficient at handling unexpected situations, such as the global pandemic, by providing timely and accurate data on task completion and resource allocation. W. John concluded by sharing that Cayuse has helped to enable rational management decisions and enhance overall operational efficiency at the Animal Resource Center.
Advanced resource scheduling can significantly improve the management of animal resources, addressing challenges with innovative solutions and adapting to changing technological landscapes. The success at Case Western Reserve University’s Animal Resource Center serves as a testament to the potential of digital transformation in specialized fields like animal resource management.
