DAYTONA BEACH, Fla., July 11 /PRNewswire/ -- ForHealth Technologies, Inc., a leading pharmacy automation provider, today announced it has been awarded a Federal Supply Schedule contract from the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) to market and sell its robotic technology, IntelliFill i.v., to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals throughout the country. The contract is effective July 1, 2005 through June 30, 2010.
“The addition of IntelliFill i.v. to the government’s Federal Supply Schedule provides our company with an excellent opportunity to help the VA achieve their long-held medication safety initiatives,” said Douglas J. Zurawski, Pharm.D., national vice president of sales for ForHealth Technologies. “It is a giant step forward for both our organization and VA hospitals across the country.”
IntelliFill i.v. automates the compounding and labeling of intravenous doses in syringes at speeds that can only be achieved through automated processes. By employing bar code scanning, vision systems and weight confirmation steps, and by providing final products that are identified with bar codes, IntelliFill i.v. reduces medication errors. The system also promotes long-term hospital cost savings by preparing the final intravenous products in syringes instead of i.v. bags.
In partnership with the GSA, VA will maintain product data in the GSA’s online ordering system, GSA Advantage. The VA/GSA partnership makes it possible for authorized VA Federal Supply Schedule contractors such as ForHealth Technologies to quickly and easily submit contract product and pricing information electronically and for federal government offices to shop at and order via the Internet.
“This announcement from the VA opens the door to a new sector of business that we have been eager to focus on for some time,” said Rod Wolford, chairman and CEO of ForHealth Technologies. “VA hospitals are ahead of the curve when it comes to implementing new technologies that help improve patient safety and cost efficiency. We’re excited about this tremendous opportunity to help support the VA in its commitment to providing the best care possible for communities large and small throughout the country.”
With more than seven million patient-use syringes prepared in U.S. hospitals by its IntelliFill i.v. robots, ForHealth Technologies understands the challenges and rigorous requirements hospitals and health care organizations currently face to improve accuracy, productivity and sterility. ForHealth’s innovations are setting new standards for hospital pharmacies in patient safety, cost efficiency and compliance with new regulations such as U. S. Pharmacopoeia <797>.
About ForHealth Technologies, Inc.
Founded in 1998, ForHealth Technologies, a leader in automated devices for intravenous drug preparation, is committed to increasing patient safety and decreasing operating costs by automating the preparation of small-volume injectable medications in health care organizations worldwide. Offering safety, accuracy, efficiency and reliability, its IntelliFill i.v. automates the preparation of i.v. syringes, greatly enhancing both the safety of patients and the efficiency of hospital pharmacies. For more information, please visit http://www.fhtinc.com .
Contact: Joel Osborne ForHealth Technologies, Inc. 386-274-4447 josborne@fhtinc.com Kevin Punsky The Dalton Agency 904-398-5222 kpunsky@daltonagency.com
ForHealth Technologies
CONTACT: Joel Osborne, ForHealth Technologies, Inc., +1-386-274-4447, orjosborne@fhtinc.com; or Kevin Punsky, The Dalton Agency, +1-904-398-5222,or kpunsky@daltonagency.com, for ForHealth Technologies
Web site: http://www.fhtinc.com/