MERIDIAN, Miss., Feb. 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center (JARMC) announced today that it is only a few weeks away from completing installation of the Omnicell MedGuard system. MedGuard automation utilizes bar code scanning technology throughout the continuum of care to help ensure the highest level of patient safety throughout the medication-use process.
“Three of the four systems are in place and have already had a significant impact in reducing medication dispensing errors,” explained Ken Nichols, PharmD, JARMC’s director of pharmacy. “I get calls two to three times a week from pharmacists all across the nation inquiring about how our Omnicell technology is working. They are amazed when I tell them it has allowed me to cut staff costs 25 percent, while increasing patient safety. The national shortage of pharmacists coupled with new government regulations for improving patient safety make this technology an extremely powerful tool for protecting patients.”
At the heart of Nichols’ operation is Omnicell PharmacyCentral, an automated pharmacy storage and retrieval system. Pharmacy technicians use the high-tech bar code-driven carousel technology to fill physician orders. The use of bar code verification of all orders processed in the central pharmacy ensures the right drug is available at the time needed for Jeff Anderson patients. Omnicell PharmacyCentral’s priority manager software ensures orders are processed more efficiently, enabling the central pharmacy staff to improve drug delivery time to the floor. The system also automates the replenishment of medications from Jeff Anderson’s primary wholesaler, resulting in reduced pharmacy inventory carrying costs, while increasing the pharmacy staff’s productivity.
OmniRx(R) medication dispensing systems, highly advanced ATMs for prescription drugs, automate the management and dispensing of medications at the point of use, increasing patient safety, improving workflow efficiency, and enhancing security. Key features include advanced single-dose dispensing, bar code confirmation, the widest range of drawer modules enabling all security levels, integration with a Web browser for clinical reference information, and patient medication profiling. The systems are located in every nursing unit at Jeff Anderson, including surgery, recovery, same day surgery, and the emergency department.
OmniLinkRx(TM) on each nursing floor automates delivery of physician drug orders to the medical center’s central pharmacy. The system allows pharmacists to monitor and fill prescription orders, eliminating the stacks of handwritten prescriptions.
SafetyMed(TM) RN, set for final installation by the end of March, helps ensure patient safety by performing verification checks at the patient’s bedside when a medication is administered. SafetyMed RN automates a nursing patient protection procedure known as the “five rights": verifying the right patient gets the right drug at the right dose via the right route at the right time. The SafetyMed platform will also help physicians and nurses perform quick clinical checks for possible drug interactions in emergency situations. Nurses can use a variety of hardware devices to access the SafetyMed RN system. The system utilizes bar code scanning technology to capture and input data from the patient’s wristband, medication packaging, and the nurse’s own identification badge. SafetyMed RN can also function if bar codes are unavailable.
About Omnicell
Established in 1992, Omnicell is a leading provider of patient safety solutions preferred by nurses. Improving patient care by enhancing operational efficiency, Omnicell solutions are used throughout the healthcare facility-in the pharmacy, nursing units, surgical services, cath lab, and all the way to the patient’s bedside. The company’s MedGuard line of solutions for the medication-use process includes systems for physician order management, automated pharmacy retrieval, medication packaging, medication dispensing, and nursing workflow automation with bar code medication administration. For the medical-surgical supply chain, Omnicell’s OptiFlex(TM) product line provides open bar code systems, cabinet-based supply management, integrated open and cabinet-based systems, and Web-based procurement. More than 1,500 healthcare facilities use Omnicell solutions to help reduce medication errors, operate more efficiently, and decrease costs-ultimately contributing to improved clinical and financial outcomes. For more information, visit http://www.omnicell.com/.
Omnicell, Inc.
CONTACT: Bruce Lewis of Lewis & Summers Public Relations,+1-707-964-3844, or bruce@prwebsite.com, for Omnicell, Inc.
Web site: http://www.omnicell.com/