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Robots dispense medicines
Dublin, Ireland, 10 January 2006 - Systems Solutions Limited has today announced that it is the first pharmacy IT provider in Ireland to integrate with an automated storage and retrieval system for community pharmacy.
 The company has developed a software interface between its flagship pharmacy solution, QicSCRIPT, and ARX’s automated dispensing machine, Rowa Speedcase. In creating a seamless integration between the two systems, Systems Solutions will help Irish pharmacies to minimise dispensing errors and more tightly control their dispensary activities.
Shannon’s Pharmacy, Rosemount, Dublin, is the first pharmacy to implement a system of its kind in Ireland. Systems Solutions’ customer, Criofan Shannon, pharmacist and proprietor of Shannon’s Pharmacy, explains his reasons for purchasing the robot, “One of the main reasons why I got the Rowa Speedcase was to enhance the safety of and speed up the dispensing process. This system gives me exactly what I’ve entered into our QicSCRIPT pharmacy system. With a move towards full original pack dispensing, it’s much more efficient”.
According to David Raethorne, Systems Solutions’ technical director and founder, “We are proud to be the first pharmacy software provider to enable automation in Irish pharmacies. We were happy to accept the challenge of creating an interface between QicSCRIPT and the Rowa Speedcase System for two reasons. Firstly, robotics systems reduce dispensing errors, which are often caused by human error. Secondly, they help to increase the time available to pharmacists to spend with patients. Technology has an enormous role to play in enhancing the pharmacist/patient relationship, and wherever we can simplify the dispensing process and give pharmacists more time, we’re delighted to get involved”.
Essentially, the interface eliminates the need for pharmacists to duplicate the entry of prescription items into both their pharmacy system, QicSCRIPT, and the robotics machine. Not only does this save pharmacy time, it also eliminates human intervention in picking drugs, increasing the accuracy of the dispensing process, thus reducing the potential for dispensing errors to occur. In addition, both systems synergise in terms of setting, storing and maintaining tighter levels of stock, increasing the economic and productive efficiency of the pharmacy. As Criofan Shannon explains, “The interface between QicSCRIPT and the Rowa Speedcase system means that I can set a minimum level of stock that I can keep on the premises, and use QicSCRIPT to maintain this level by alerting me as to when items need to be re-ordered. This gives me greater control over the stockholding and re-ordering processes. I also get a true rotation of stock because I know the first pack into the system is the first pack out”.
Tom Simcox, Chief Executive of ARX Limited, added “We are very excited to be working on our first pharmacy automation project in Ireland. We look forward to being able to provide Shannon’s Pharmacy with the benefits of pharmacy automation already proven throughout Europe – increased revenue, increased efficiency, increased accuracy and increased patient care. ARX feel very confident that, with the high level of product quality and customer focus of both ARX Limited and Systems Solutions, this will be the model for the future. Throughout Europe there is an increasing pressure for providing an increased level of patient care with the same resources. The model conceived by Criofan Shannon and being provided by ARX Limited, Systems Solutions, and store layout consultants and shop fitters Anderson Retail Consultants and Lux Ladenbau will allow this to be possible”.
David Raethorne concludes, “In the current healthcare crisis, Irish pharmacists are required to spend more time with patients now than ever before. This places significant time and workload pressures on already busy pharmacists, increasing the potential for dispensing errors. By automating more of the dispensary tasks, pharmacists can confidently and safely spend more time counselling and advising patients on how to effectively manage their conditions and therapies. We believe that pharmacy has a even stronger role to play in healthcare and we fully support this by developing software that makes this a reality”.
About QicSCRIPT:
QicSCRIPT is a complete Pharmacy Management system, which is easy-to-use, intuitive and future-focused. Comprised of several modules such as dispensing, stock control and ordering, MDS, pharmaceutical care/medicines management, accounts and reporting, QicSCRIPT is designed for independent pharmacies and pharmacy chains. For pharmacy chains, the system includes a complete Head Office module, which includes centralised (shared) patient medication records and offers head office real-time control over stock, ordering, dispensing and professional practices in stores. It delivers real-time visibility across and into all stores within a pharmacy chain. In 2004, QicSCRIPT received the World Class Innovation award at the ICT Excellence Awards.
About Systems Solutions:
Systems Solutions has been developing and marketing software products and services for pharmacy since 1987, and is the largest provider of retail and hospital pharmacy solutions in the Republic of Ireland. Independently owned, Systems Solutions has built a solid reputation for its thought leadership and ability to deliver cutting-edge solutions for pharmacy which solve complex business issues. The organisation pioneered Electronic Claims Transmission software, integrated medicines management support and real-time centralised (shared) Patient Medication Records. The company is renowned for its software development expertise, matched with its constant focus on quality and innovation. In 2005, the company was one of only 12 Irish software companies to achieve a ranking in the Deloitte Fast 500, recognising the fastest growing companies in Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA).
About ARX:
ARX is Western Europe`s leading provider of pharmacy automation systems. Established in 1993, ARX has grown into a multinational company across Western Europe. The company’s main product is the Rowa Speedcase System, an automated storage and retrieval system for pharmacy packs. There are now over 1,000 pharmacies with a ROWA Speedcase throughout Europe. The ROWA Speedcase is the only proven automation solution currently available in the UK. The Rowa Speedcase has been proven to dramatically improve the working environment for staff, as well as saving money for the pharmacy and greatly improving the speed, accuracy and efficiency of service. The outstanding benefits of this system were officially recognized in the 2002 Healthcare Effectiveness Awards, where one of our sites received awards for ‘the best use of Information Technology in the NHS’ and ‘the best innovation in the NHS’.
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