CONTACT: James Reno
Reno Communications
781.944.1406
jrenomktg@comcast.net

Three’s a Charm for UNC Health Care as UNC Hospitals Implement PharmASSIST Symphony+ Systems at Three Pharmacies
Chapel Hill Institution Cites PharmASSIST’s Unique Capabilities and Outstanding Client Services as Keys to Success

JOHNSON CITY, NY - June 10, 2004 - Innovation Associates announces that University of North Carolina (UNC) Health Care has successfully implemented PharmASSIST® Symphony+ Systems in three UNC Hospital pharmacies at the UNC Health Care System in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. UNC Health Care selected the PharmASSIST automated dispensing and workflow management technology to address their goals of enhancing the quality and improving the efficiency of their prescription filling process, and decreasing the amount of time spent on system maintenance of pharmacy automation technology.

“As we were evaluating various systems, PharmASSIST’s imaging, workflow quality protocols, and dispenser features were the key differentiators that aligned with our specific requirements and helped us make our decision,” says Colleen Gresham, Assistant Director of Pharmacy, Ambulatory Care Services at UNC Hospitals. “Once we made our decision and moved ahead with the implementations, Innovation’s client services team held our hands throughout our training and Go Live, patiently answered all of our questions, and has been there for us since day one. I’m very impressed with Innovation’s commitment to service; it’s been phenomenal,” adds Gresham.

The three UNC Hospital pharmacies employ a bank teller approach to fill on average 700 prescriptions per day with peak periods that reach up to 1100 prescriptions daily. According to Gresham, using the bank teller system, UNC Hospital pharmacists greet and interview patients at patient drop-off, which enables them to better understand and manage a patient’s medical situation. After the pharmacists enter the patients’ prescription information, their pharmacy technicians handle the majority of all auto- and manual filling tasks. The pharmacists then verify all prescriptions and either deliver them to the patient if they are waiting, or place the prescriptions in the will call area. For patient pickup, the three pharmacies employ PharmASSIST’s Will Call Bin Management and Electronic Signature Pad features.

The UNC Hospital pharmacies’ Symphony+ System configurations include two systems comprised of 3 PharmASSIST cabinets, 150 dispensers, and strategically placed workstations for the various workflow tasks of Order Entry, Auto-Fill, Manual-Fill, Rx Verification, Will Call Bin Management, and Electronic Signature Capture. The third system is comprised of 2 PharmASSIST cabinets, 100 dispensers, and workstations. The PharmASSIST system is integrated with the health center’s Condor pharmacy management system, ensuring real-time prescription order flow for all filling tasks.

In addition to helping the UNC Hospital pharmacies achieve their goals, Gresham says she has been impressed with PharmASSIST’s many added-value aspects. “The system’s comprehensive Rx tracking capabilities have enabled our staffs to know exactly where prescriptions are at any time. This has greatly reduced the amount of time we now spend looking for lost prescriptions and disrupting other staff members,” explains Gresham. From a reporting and data analysis perspective, she says she can now closely analyze all types of system and operator activity and make the appropriate adjustments to improve system and staff optimization. The electronic signature pad has enabled the pharmacies to eliminate paper signature logs, and generate reports that prove to patients that their prescriptions have been picked up. Adds Gresham, “Last but not least, the time we’ve saved by not having to clean the automation equipment has been huge, and has freed up our staffs to focus on the work at hand.”

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.

627 Field Street, Johnson City, New York 13790
(T) 607-798-9376 (F) 607-797-3485