IntelliFill i.v. Robot Now In Use to Increase Patient Safety at Methodist University Hospital

Health system chooses ForHealth Technologies’ IntelliFill i.v. robot to reduces errors and hospital costs

 

DAYTONA BEACH, FL – October 30, 2008 – ForHealth Technologies, Inc., a pioneer in I.V. medication safety and hospital pharmacy automation, recently announced the installation of its robotic I.V. dose preparation system, IntelliFill i.v., at Methodist University Hospital, Memphis, TN.  IntelliFill i.v. will enable the hospital’s pharmacy to automate its I.V. drug preparation process to reduce medication errors, increase patient safety, and lower costs. The new system was activated in September 2008. Methodist University Hospital joins a rapidly expanding community of leading US hospitals putting the latest I.V. room technology from ForHealth to work to improve I.V. medication safety. 

IntelliFill i.v. automates the preparation and labeling of intravenous doses. The system dramatically reduces I.V. dose errors through advanced robotics, and bar code verification. The system has demonstrated its effectiveness in the preparation of over 23 million patient doses.

The 693-bed Methodist University Hospital located in the heart of the Memphis Medical Center, is the largest, most comprehensive hospital in the Methodist Healthcare system. The third largest healthcare system in the country, Methodist Healthcare recently topped the list of the Top 100 Integrated Healthcare Networks in the country.  

“We carefully evaluated ForHealth Technologies’ robotic I.V. technology and found it to be extremely accurate and reliable, which gives us the ability to improve patient care,” said Alison Apple, administrator, pharmacy, Methodist University Hospital. “The IntelliFill i.v. robotic technology is simply amazing and ensures medication safety through the use of barcodes. It just makes sense to purchase this technology, especially when the equipment will pay for itself in just less than two years.”

By eliminating the need to make I.V. admixtures, the robot affords pharmacists the ability to be more engaged in activities that are highly valued by patients, families, physicians and nurses, including patient education about medications and assisting with the management of complex medication therapy.

Cost-saving measures include more precise drawing of dosages so there is less drug waste, and drawing doses from larger containers enables drugs to be purchased in bulk. Before installing IntelliFill i.v., a number of cost-increasing, premixed drugs were purchased. Methodist is now using fewer I.V. bags, saving money there as well.

The possibility of medication errors is on the rise due to an increase in both the number of potent drugs and intravenous drugs being administered. Hospitals pharmacists like those at Methodist University are calling for better technology. As a result, ForHealth Technologies, Inc. has seen an increase in hospitals choosing their I.V. room technology to reduce or eliminate errors made in hospital pharmacy I.V. rooms throughout the year.     

About ForHealth

Founded in 1998, ForHealth Technologies delivers 21st century technology combined with professional support to uniquely enable hospital pharmacies to stay ahead of the growing challenges faced in preparing injectable medications.  ForHealth Technologies solutions deliver quantum-leap improvements in key I.V. room performance metrics: accuracy, patient safety, clinician safety, speed, cost reduction, and regulatory compliance. ForHealth Technologies: Innovating for Your I.V. Room’s Future™.

For additional information, please contact:

ForHealth Technologies Inc.
Katie Delach, Hart-Boillot
781-893-0053
kdelach@hartboillot.com