Intelligent Systems, Extraordinary Care
By transforming how supplies and materials move behind the scenes, the Grainger Building will help care teams spend less time managing logistics and more time focused on patients.
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Every day at Mayo Clinic, thousands of clinical moments unfold, each shaped by human connection. Behind those moments is a complex network of systems and support services working to ensure caregivers have what they need, exactly when they need it.
The Grainger Building will make those moments better. Scheduled to open in Rochester in 2028, the new support services and logistics center is a critical facet of Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester, Mayo Clinic’s vision for the future of care through a transformed downtown campus.
Thomas and Elizabeth Grainger, recognized as Philanthropic Partners, understand the power of operational excellence. Their family’s industrial supply company, W. W. Grainger, was built on the principle that getting the right resources to the right place at the right time can transform how people work.
“Where transformation truly occurs is in the confidence of Mayo Clinic physicians and staff,” Tom says. “When they can trust that the supply chain is accurate, reliable and always available, it becomes second nature. That confidence allows care teams to focus fully on what matters most — making the most efficient diagnoses and delivering the most effective treatments.”
The Grainger Building will enable the complex systems and services that support patient care and anticipate needs throughout a digitally connected downtown campus. Beneath its floors and behind its walls, autonomous robots will support staff and enhance the patient experience by delivering linens, instruments and essential supplies. Using a 900-foot tunnel to the main clinical buildings, the Grainger Building will proactively meet supply needs and ensure clinicians can focus on their patients.
“All of this happens behind the scenes,” says Stephen Fischer, administrator for Bold. Forward. Unbound. in Rochester. “Patients don’t see it, but it’s a carefully orchestrated network of services supporting their care. It’s enhancing both the patient and staff experience and freeing up people for more human connections.”
In essence, the Grainger Building will become another member of the team by elevating support for caregivers, reducing physical burdens on staff, streamlining tasks and enabling clinicians to focus their expertise where it matters most: their patients.
SMART SUPPLY IN ACTION
Smart supply systems are designed to make supply delivery seamless and less disruptive to patient care. Built on real-time, connected digital infrastructure, predictive delivery relies on data, usage patterns and automation to ensure medications, equipment and other supplies are automatically replenished when and where they are needed.
These systems are already being validated through promising pilot programs at Mayo Clinic in Rochester. In the future, the Grainger Building will enable these innovations to scale — connecting supply systems, robotics and centralized logistics to deliver supplies more efficiently across campus. By improving visibility into inventory and aligning supply with actual demand, these systems also reduce excess stock, expired items and avoidable waste. Smart supply systems add an intelligent layer that makes items easier to find and keeps them stocked automatically. For nurses and other providers, this technology represents a meaningful shift from tracking down and restocking supplies to spending time and energy on patient care.
"The goal of this program is to decrease the amount of time that nurses and other direct clinical care staff spend looking for supplies so they can do more of what they love — taking care of patients,” said Heidi Shedenhelm, D.N.P., R.N., administrator for nursing practice transformation. “The nursing staff are finding that these new systems are really adding value and getting them back to their patients faster.”
STEP 1
SUPPLIES ARE STOCKED AND READY
Supplies are currently delivered through multiple established support services workflows and stocked into labeled bins on each floor. In the future, bulk supplies will be staged and stored at the Grainger Building and delivered predictively through the autonomous mobile robotics system to keep local inventory lean while maintaining quick access at the point of care.
STEP 2
THE BUILDING ANTICIPATES NEEDS
When care team members enter a smart supply room, technology and intuitive design help them quickly find the supplies they need. Inventory is automatically tracked and restocked using connected systems that monitor supply use and anticipate future demand.
STEP 3
AMBIENT LISTENING IDENTIFIES THE SUPPLY
The smart supply system uses ambient listening technology — similar to a voice assistant — to identify the correct supply, even when different staff use different terms.
STEP 4
THE CORRECT BIN ILLUMINATES
A small electronic label on the appropriate bin flashes, directing the provider to the right item without searching.
STEP 5
CARE TEAM MEMBERS TAKE SINGLE ITEMS OR FULL KITS
Care team members can request individual supplies or predefined kits, allowing multiple bins to light up at once so everything needed for a task can be gathered quickly.
STEP 6
DESIGNED FOR FUTURE INTEGRATION
This system is being designed to help inform future predictive supply delivery, creating a foundation for integration with robotics and the Grainger Building while aligning with broader planning across Florida and Arizona campuses.
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