CONTACT: James Reno
Reno Communications
339.927.7073
jamie.reno@renocommunications.com
Minnesota-based Medicine Shoppe Franchisee
Selects Innovation’s Eyecon for Countertop Counting
Four-store Franchisee Automates Counting with Industry’s New Visual Countertop Counting Technology
JOHNSON CITY, NY – April 28, 2008– Innovation Associates, makers of PharmASSIST® pharmacy automation solutions, today announced that a four-store Medicine Shoppe franchisee based in Minnesota has automated the counting of their pharmacies’ high moving medications with the firm’s Eyecon™ visual countertop counting device. The franchisee is also using Eyecon in its independently owned Arrowhead Pharmacy, located in Grand Marais, Minnesota. The four Medicine Shoppe pharmacies are located in Brainerd, Rochester, Redwood Falls, and Worthington, Minnesota.
“With our volumes, we were looking for lower cost automated counting that would provide a high level of accuracy for our pharmacies,” said Mike Schwartzwald, R.Ph. and owner of the franchises. “The Eyecon is the perfect solution for us. You simply plug it in and you’re ready to go. We’ve experienced 100% accuracy, increased our throughput, and there’s virtually no maintenance. We’ve immediately cost justified our investment.”
The Medicine Shoppes and Arrowhead Pharmacy vary in prescription volume from 200 to 400 prescriptions per day, with the Brainerd location being the highest. All the stores operate Eyecon in stand-alone/validation mode; not integrated with their QS/1 pharmacy management system. Schwartzwald said the Eyecon’s use of bar code scanning and digital imagery of medications enables his staffs to fill the right drug at the right dose for the right patient.
The Eyecon counts tablets/capsules in 200 milliseconds with 99.9% accuracy. The device’s open-flow design enables pharmacy staff to see the medication at all times, even as they dispense the pills to a vial, and there’s no limitation on how fast they pour from the stock bottle. If a staff member over-pours, Eyecon immediately displays the exact over-count and they can then remove any extra medication directly to the stock bottle with one simple motion and no touching of the medication. To prevent cross contamination, the Eyecon comes with separate penicillin and sulfa-specific platters.
“The Eyecon is one of the most revolutionary counting technologies to impact the pharmacy market in recent years,” said Doyle Jensen, executive vice president, Innovation. “Eyecon's visual counting speed and accuracy, along with its affordability, make it attractive for all pharmacies looking for a low cost productivity tool.”About Innovation Associates
Innovation Associates, Inc., a leader in the world of automated prescription dispensing, offers the PharmASSIST family of products to address the prescription growth, quality assurance, pharmacy workflow, and cost control challenges of all size pharmacies. With over three decades of broad-based, business experience, Innovation Associates is dedicated to delivering the highest-quality pharmacy automation products to the pharmacy industry. For more information on
Innovation Associates, Inc., visit www.innovat.com.
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