Healthcare companies wage ongoing campaigns to enhance quality control (QC) and quality assurance (QA). So when Novo Nordisk sought to reduce the transition time for the release of packing material, quality was also at the top of the company’s agenda. NNE Pharmaplan was called in to establish a flow system that could achieve all these goals.

Controlling quality
Based on the principles of lean manufacturing, the solution involved establishing a flow system in two stages: a three-day flow system and a one-day flow system.

Novo Nordisk also received a visual first-in, first-out (FIFO) system to control tasks, as well as a new procedure for the execution of NCs (non-conformaties) between QC and QA.

Backlog eliminated and quality increased
Transition time for the release of packing material was reduced from five to eight days to just one day, with no or very few shifts in priorities and urgent cases. The company’s backlog was also eliminated – from 250 cases to zero. And rapid file transfer (RFT) from QC to QA was greater than 80 percent.

All this also resulted in an extra benefit for Novo Nordisk – significantly less need for overtime and temporary workers.