Adding €15.5 Millions in Sales in 8 Months
How a Leading Healthcare Distributor automated its consigned inventory with RFID Tech & AI
Beta-i’s AI Consulting turns operations into outcomes. See how a leading healthcare distributor automated consigned inventory with RFID + AI, gaining 23% efficiency, faster receivables, and >500% IRR.
%
Total Operational Efficiency gain
%
IRR Reduction on receivables for 50% of billed volume
Founded over 35 years ago, the company has built its reputation on operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and an unwavering focus on improving patient care through efficiency and reliability.
- 7,000 hospitals and clinics served
- 250,000 health professionals and institutions across Brazil
- 700 health plans and corporate clients
- 2,500+ employees operating in logistics, commercial, and service units
- Nationwide operations covering pharma, hospital supplies, and high-value consigned products (OPME)
The challenges
Inventory inaccuracies leading to both overstock and stockouts at critical moments of patient care.
Operational inefficiency and repeated travel between sites, increasing logistics costs and carbon footprint.
Lost revenue opportunities, since large amounts of capital were tied up in idle or expired stock.
Slow billing and receivables cycles, as consumption could only be confirmed once physical verification occurred.
Every AI consulting engagement we deliver follows this same value-first framework,
connecting business logic, data design, and execution speed to produce real financial outcomes, not just prototypes.
1. AI opportunity Mapping
At Elfa, we mapped every process in consigned inventory management — from stock recording and replenishment to invoicing. Using design and data lenses, we quantified the biggest value levers:
- accelerating consumption recognition (cash cycle impact)
- minimizing product expirations (waste impact)
- reducing manual stock checks (cost impact)
The result: a clear business case where RFID automation and AI-driven analytics could unlock measurable returns with minimal disruption.
2. Data spine & telemetry
Together with Elfa, we designed a data spine connecting RFID tags, readers, and hospital portals to Elfa’s ERP system. This provided live telemetry of product movement, enabling immediate insights on consumption, stock levels, and expiry risk.
By establishing this real-time layer first, Elfa could monitor progress continuously — transforming data into a decision-making asset instead of a reporting burden.
3. Prototype in weeks not months
We move fast to prove the business case before scaling.
Rather than investing in large-scale rollouts, we started with a focused pilot in early 2023 to validate the assumptions.
Within weeks, RFID tracking was live in selected hospitals, automating item entry and exit.
The prototype delivered early measurable wins:
- 23% operational efficiency increase
- Receivables recognized 90 days sooner on half of billed volume
This early validation aligned teams and secured confidence to scale.
4. Scale with confidence
We ensure long-term value creation through governance and adaptability.
Once the pilot proved ROI, the focus shifted to replication and sustainability.
We worked with Elfa’s innovation and operations teams to define:
- governance routines and performance dashboards
- AI models to predict consumption and optimize replenishment
- a change-management plan to ensure hospital partners adopted the new system smoothly
The outcome: a scalable, measurable transformation built on solid data foundations — with a projected >500% IRR at full implementation.
The RFID technology enabled Grupo Elfa to achieve new levels of excellence in consigned inventory control, through its pilot implemented in March 2023, providing a comprehensive and real-time view of each item, from its origin to the final destination. This not only optimized operational processes but also boosted logistical efficiency, resulting in substantial financial gains.