Tag: school vending machine

Introducing the COVID-19 Test Kit Dispenser & Return Center

Posted on by SaravanaKumar@wittern.com

Intelligent Dispensing Solutions’ COVID-19 Test Kit Dispenser & Return Center gives your employees easy access to self-administered COVID-19 testing kits via a humanless transaction experience.  The goal of the COVID-19 Test Kit Center is to align with Return-to-Work and Return-to-Learn programs. Frequent testing can help quickly identify and mitigate COVID-19 outbreaks in the workplace, campus or community.

Each self-administered test is identified by using a barcode that is scanned when the user dispenses and returns the test kit. From there, each kit is linked to your company’s employee budget or organization’s campus cards. This is critical in order to ensure accurate and timely results.

Keep track of the employees who are accessing testing kits with the help of our medical inventory control and reporting iQ Technology. The COVID-19 Test Kit Center limits the number of tests that an employee can dispense from the machine, so iQ Technology tracks who accessed and returned the testing kits. iQ Technology gives you complete control over the machine, testing kits and how your employees access testing kits.

An attractive feature of the COVID-19 Test Kit Center is the contactless dispensing of the products. Employees can easily access their testing kits without the need to interact with another individual.

Provide employees and students with peace of mind, while mitigating risk with the COVID-19 Test Kit Dispenser & Return Center from Intelligent Dispensing Solutions. To find out more, contact us at 1-877-771-4446.

Prescription Drug Vending Machine Brought on Campus

Posted on by John Van Horn

Over the last few years, you’ve no doubt gotten used to the fact that vending machines are no longer just a source for soft drinks and salty snacks. You’ve probably purchased at least one electronic device from a vending machine in an airport, or have at least seen someone do so. You’ve maybe even used a DVD vending machine or gotten your morning paper in much the same way. Now, providers are taking things to the next level by offering prescription dispenser units and other medical vending machine options.

Arizona State University’s Prescription Medication Vending Machine

In 2014, Arizona State University became one of the first educational institutions in the country to install a prescription dispenser on campus. Located in the Health Services Building, this unit was designed to help both make sure that people had quick and easy access to the medical supplies that they needed and to increase efficiency within that organization at the exact same time.

The medical vending machine was designed to fill the medical prescriptions of both students and university employees at a moment’s notice. By using a voucher with identifying information that itself is tied to a very specific code, any doctor could prescribe medication to a patient that could then be picked up at the vending machine within 24 hours.

This advancement couldn’t have come at a better time, too, as the pharmacy at Arizona State University closed just a few weeks prior. Thanks to the prescription dispenser, people were able to continue getting the service they needed without transferring to other pharmacies or seeing any other type of negative impact at all.

At its launch, the prescription medication vending machine offered the 50 medications that were most commonly prescribed to students on campus. Based on the type of software that the machine was powered with, this could change on a regular basis as trends did. If a new medication were to creep into that top 50, it would be added to the list and something that was less likely to be prescribed would be removed.

UCapIt

UCapIt is just one example of a company that is offering controlled access pharmaceutical dispensing options to healthcare organizations around the world on a daily basis. UCapIt solutions are armed with state-of-the-art software that allows not only for instant recording whenever a purchase is made, but also for things like detailed reporting, the tracking of who has access to which types of supplies, advanced inventory management capabilities and more.

This is just one example of the many ways that medical vending machine technology is positively impacting the lives of people all over the world on a daily basis. For students at Arizona State University, they found the process of filling a prescription was easier than ever before. It’s easy to picture a time not too far from now where these types of medical vending solutions are rolled out beyond college campuses and are located in drug stores, pharmacies and other locations across the world.

School Supply Vending Machine & Healthy Snack Alternatives | Why Students Love Them

Posted on by John Van Horn

School Supply Vending Machine & Healthy Snack Alternatives - Why Students Love Them

In recent years, vending machines in schools have become a huge source of debate. There are some parents who believe that if their child purchases a snack from a vending machine, they will choose something unhealthy, such as chips, cookies, soda or candy. But this is not always the case. In fact, thanks to modern refrigerated vending machine technology, nutritionists on staff, and other factors, schools are making smarter and healthier options regarding what they offer their students. This means children can choose a healthy snack from a vending machine, while the school benefits from the profits.

Making a Healthy Selection

Schools have the option to choose healthy snack alternatives, if desired. They can select from healthy crackers, trail mix, fruit snacks, baked chips, Special K bars and more. There are also schools that implement the 100 calorie packs of cookies, to provide something sweet. This is all by choice. While vending machine suppliers will provide whatever is requested, it is up to the schools to request the healthier options.

Student’s Views on Vending Machines

Kids love the idea of vending machines in schools they can quickly and easily choose what they want to eat. This offers a sense of independence that most kids appreciate, especially as they get older. And by providing healthy alternatives, adults are still helping to guide them in their decision making.

Other Benefits Offered by Vending Machines in Schools

Another benefit offered by placing vending machines in schools is the profit. The extra funds are able to go toward other things that the school needs, such as books, computers, art supplies, etc. The money may also go to sports teams or even after school clubs.

Yet another benefit of the integration of vending machines in schools is the fact that they provide children with options if they forget their lunch, or do not want what the cafeteria is serving that day. This ensures that each child receives something to eat and they do not have to go hungry or thirsty during the day.

Other Purposes of Vending Machines

In addition to providing food and drinks for students, there are also school supply vending machines. This means if a child does not have paper, pencils or anything else required during the day, they can purchase what they need quickly and easily from a vending machine.

They key to reaping all the benefits offered by healthy snack and school supply vending machines is to find a quality vending machine manufacturer who will ensure the school gets the type of machine necessary for their students. Doing so will help ensure all the benefits highlighted here. Take some time to research the vending machine services for schools to feel confident in the decision that is made and the vending machine that is selected.

What Happens if you Ban Bottled Water on a College Campus Vending Machine?

Posted on by John Van Horn

If you’re on a college campus and are frantically running from one building to another to make it to your next class on time, it’s natural to want something to drink to quench your thirst. You may turn to the nearest school vending machine as a solution thanks to the efficiency and convenience that it brings to the table. What if you wanted a nice, cold bottle of water from the vending machine and were only greeted by sugary sodas that you had no interest in? What if this was the result of your college campus taking the unusual step of banning bottled water altogether? What would happen next?

A new study published by the American Journal of Public Health seeks to understand the effects of banning bottled water. According to the study, restricting access to bottled water on college campuses actually statistically increases the consumption of less healthy beverages. Another side effect is that the ban increases the amount of plastic waste that a college campus has to deal with at the same time.

The study, which is appropriately called “The Unintended Consequences of Changes in Beverage Options and the Removal of Bottled Water on a University Campus,” closely tracked vending machine activity after the University of Vermont banned all bottled water sales on its campus. Not surprisingly, other unhealthy alternatives to water saw a 25 percent increase in sales almost immediately. At the same time, there was an astounding 8.5 percent increase in the total amount of plastic waste that then had to be dealt with by university officials.

Ironically, the purpose of the University of Vermont’s ban was not to spike the sales of sugary drinks at all. College officials report that they originally just wanted to encourage students to bring their own reusable water bottles that they could then fill with tap water from drinking fountains located all over campus. The university even went to the trouble of retrofitting 68 water fountains across the area to make it more convenient to use them with reusable water bottles, making it all the more interesting that the opposite effect seems to have occurred.

The International Bottled Water Association has long maintained that the restriction of bottled water will absolutely lead to the increased consumption of less healthy beverages and increased creation of waste that must then be dealt with. Thanks to the AJPH, these findings have been confirmed in a way that is difficult to argue with. For many people, the choice between cold, healthy bottled water and an unhealthy soda alternative isn’t really a choice at all.

Sources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=The+Unintended+Consequences+of+Changes+in+Beverage+Options+and+the+Removal+of+Bottled+Water+on+a+University+Campus

Schools and Fitness Centers Offer More Healthy Food & Non Food Related Items More Than Ever Before

Posted on by John Van Horn

First Lady Michelle Obama and students from across the country who participate in the ten “Let’s Move!” sub-initiative programs, eat the food they have prepared during a White House Kitchen Garden harvest event in the East Room of the White House, June 3, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Childhood obesity rates have leveled off and among some populations are starting to decline. This is good news after decades of steadily rising rates of obesity among children and teens in the United States.

Popular campaigns like the Alliance for a Healthier Generation sponsored by the Clinton Foundation and American Heart Foundation, Let’s Move sponsored by First Lady Michelle Obama, and the NFL’s Play 60, are working to help parents, children, and schools to make better decisions regarding food choices and activity.

Prior to these campaigns, school cafeterias served fried foods, high carbohydrate sides, and sugary desserts. If that weren’t enough, students in the 1990’s could easily find a vending machine loaded with sugary drinks and unhealthy snacks. Students had difficulty making good choices simply because healthy foods weren’t being offered.

Thankfully, these campaigns are making a difference. School cafeterias offer more fresh fruits and vegetables to the students at lunch. Some have transformed grass into thriving school gardens where students learn to cultivate the Earth, grow fresh produce and consume what they grow.

In addition, the traditional vending machine has been replaced. Companies like Intelligent Dispensing Solutions have created school vending machines that dispense healthy fare such as low-fat milk, bottled water, and fresh vegetable and fruit solutions. For schools, machines like this are a win-win combination. Students have easy access to quality foods and the machines automate inventory and IDS’ IQ software technology syncs the machine with the requirements of the Federal Free and Reduced Meal program.

No campaign can create widespread change overnight; however, as these initiatives have continued to pick up steam, long-term change seems to be happening. Finally, we have some good news about childhood obesity.

Visit Intelligent Dispensing Solutions for unique solutions for school and fitness center healthy snack vending machines. Whether the machines are vending healthy foods or material goods such as towels or earbuds, IDS’s IQ technology keeps your sales records secure and up to date, while the machine prevents theft and automates the sale process freeing your employees to attend to other tasks.

Solar Vending Machines on the Horizon

Posted on by John Van Horn

As much as vending machines evolve over the years, they all have one thing in common. Whether they dispense batteries or nachos, vending machines essentially all run on electricity.  However, according to Times Free Press, a humble Cattanooga company is looking to change the way vending machines operate entirely.

The article reports that a company called VendomMax has been working on a custom vending machine that runs entirely on solar power. VendoMax co-founders Rob Creswell and Mark Hixson officially unveiled the machine today, and the product will be available at a Las Vegas vending trade show next week. The vending machine manufacturers are hoping this machine can get some quality momentum among top beverage companies.

This unique custom solar vending machine will come in two models: A moveable version on wheels and a more traditional fixed product. Solar power is still a developing trend among a variety of different industries, and we are certainly interested on seeing how it develops over the next few years. Vending machines, especially ours, eat up a ton of energy, and a truly sustainable way to keep them running could change the business for the better. If you are looking to get a head start on the innovative side of the industry, our custom vending solutions are the perfect place to start!

Basic Medical Supplies In Vending Machines

Posted on by John Van Horn

Keeping a stock of basic medical supplies in a healthcare medical vending machine is not an entirely new idea. These days anything and everything seems game for a vending machine as the Intelligent Vending Solutions’ website and this blog might suggest.

The practical function of having band-aids, gauze, alcohol swabs and other basic medical supplies in and around any place should be clear to anyone. Emergencies happen. More often, small little mishaps occur that require attention quickly and can be handled cheaply. Throwing in single sale band-aids can stop bleeding on a small cut that might otherwise necessitate a trip to the local pharmacy and a larger expenditure on a whole box of the things.

Aspirin and other pain relievers are also important to have around. You can never predict when a headache might pop up. These Aspirin and Tylenol vending machines can be mildly lucrative and mostly self sustaining in any environment. They are a great chance to offer sometimes necessary items at a reasonable price.

If you run an office or school, be sure your employees and students have access to these basics. A basic medical vending machine can be a nice boost to your coffers and a great convenience to the backbones of your institution.

Dormant School Vending Machines?

Posted on by John Van Horn

In the months after the school doors close, it might seem like those school vending machines go unattended and, frankly, just sit there. You begin to wonder when you get back to school in September, have those items been just sitting there all summer?

Of course not. Anyone who is responsible for operating and stocking a school vending machine should be smart enough to manage the items inside during times where the building housing the machine should be dormant. Luckily, most people who own and operate a vending machine in one place are likely running a larger retail vending operation. Some of those items can stock other machines in other places.

The other possibility is that many of these schools hold summer school classes for students that didn’t quite make the grade. Just ’cause your grades weren’t up to snuff, doesn’t mean you don’t deserve the occasional study session with the Keebler Elves.

Schools that do not have summer classes might have staff instruction or daily summer camp programs. The fact is, there will be turnover in these machines in the steamy summer months. In the end, chances are you can count on the products in the machine still being delicious come September.

Mikey, Hershey’s, and the School Vending Machine

Posted on by John Van Horn

school vending machineSchool vending machines have Hershey bars, which to my youthful palate were a divine, luscious reward for a day spent among the munchkins and societal rejects who constituted the population of my school. When I felt those creamy chocolatey squares melt on my tongue, I would get excited, which was, now that I think about it, largely a reaction to sugar, and I would energetically seek my lone friend Mikey.

Mikey had a rat tail. He wasn’t the most popular kid in school but because his mom had left him when he was younger and his dad was never around he was well-respected. Mikey wasn’t a chocolate guy per se, but he knew that when I ate chocolate I became a kind of Mr. Hyde.

Together, we snuck into the girls’ bathroom and made gross farting sounds when we heard the door open, we climbed out of windows into areas of the school marked no trespassing, and we generally did whatever we weren’t supposed to do. Finally Mikey was expelled for lighting  a cherry bomb in the boys bathroom. I lost my only friend. But that didn’t stop me from eating those Hershey bars from the school vending machine once 2:30 rolled around.

Peanut Butter Snacks in School Vending Machines

Posted on by John Van Horn

custom vending machineIf you were in the middle of the SATs and you had ten minutes to get food, you would likely turn to school vending machines to satiate your hunger. But what would you get? Remember you have another two hours of testing. Potato chips? On an empty stomach? No way. A Hershey’s bar? And crash from the sugar low? Nice try.

You need energy. Non-crashable energy. Peanut butter. Snickers.

The gooey caramely, chocolatey delicious nougatey flavors all coalescing in your mouth to give you the pleasure of candy and the energy of a more serious snack…With that thing you can power through the rest of the test with ease.

Other options to consider are: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. It doesn’t matter whether you pronounce them “Reesease” or “Reese is,” they’re also packed with energy, though perhaps aren’t as delicious.

And if you don’t like chocolate, and you’re nearby a custom peanut butter snack vending machine that has them, peanut butter crackers, the kind with the salt crystals on them, are delicious and hunger satiating.

It all comes down to personal preference. Some of us may not like nougat, some of us may like salty, some may prefer eating their candy as weirdly as possible. Whatever, it’s all made easy with snack vending machines in schools.