pharmacy TECHNOLOGY products

Say Good-bye to Waiting:Patients Can Get Rxs 24/7

InstyMeds Corp's (Eden Prairie, Minn)InstyMeds uses Web-based prescription-writing software that sends prescriptionsthrough secure networks tothe InstyMeds dispensing application,which allows patients to fill their prescriptionsat the InstyMeds Dispenserlocated at medical facilities and hospitals.The unit is capable of labeling anddispensing nearly any form of medication,including tablets, capsules, inhalers,sprays, creams and ointments, suspensions,and syrups. Patient information isreceived electronically from the PracticeManagement System or electronichealth record systems through industrystandard interfaces or is easily enteredthrough a Web application. The patienthas the choice of receiving a printed prescriptionto bring to the pharmacy orreceiving a prescription medication atthe InstyMeds Dispenser right at themedical site. The benefits of the machineinclude prescription drugs received in afew minutes; patients interface with acolor touch screen; multiple bar-codeprocedures ensure accurate drug dispensing;patients receive drug-educationsheets when the medication is prescribed;copays are accepted via creditor debit cards and cash; a telephone isavailable to speak to a pharmacist, andpatients are given a toll-free number tocall for a 24-hour/day pharmacist helpline; and clients can refill prescriptions atany local pharmacy. For additional information,visit www.instymeds.com.

Tool Helps HospitalPharmacists Improve Care

Thomson Healthcare Inc's (GreenwoodVillage, Colo) Order Set Solutionempowers hospital pharmacists with adecision-support tool that improves performancemanagement in the medicationcare delivery and disease managementprocess. The templates provideaccess to in-depth clinical evidence plusbest practice and performance measuresclinicians can use to gain consensusand manage their internal order set content.As part of the product, pharmacistsare provided with the Thomson KnowledgeManager. Pharmacists can customizeorder sets by selecting or deletingitems and identifying and removingdrugs not maintained on the hospital'sformulary. The solution also has built inBoolean logic to help with medicationmanagement. The Boolean Operatorsfeature facilitates appropriate drug selection.Pharmacists select one order in aregimen, and the Order Set Solutionselects the others, thereby preventing aduplicate or contraindicated medicationorders. For more information, visitwww.healthcare.thomson.com or www.micromedex.com, or call 800-525-9083.

Independents Have a Wayto Manage Rx Pricing

Net-Rx Inc (Vancouver,Wash) recentlyintroduced its new cash-pricing managementservice?PriceIt-Rx?that benefitsindependent pharmacy owners. Theservice uses traditional third-party insurancenetworks to create a real-time adjudicatedclaim for cash purchases, resultingin consistent cash pricing, higher customerconfidence, and a reduction of in-storelabor. PriceIt-Rx creates optimumpricing on all drugs dispensed by thepharmacy through a comprehensivemarket analysis and an individual consultationwith the pharmacy owner. Onceestablished, the real-time cash pricingallows the pharmacy to maximize profitson all prescription business. For moreinformation, visit www.net-rx.com.

E-reference Pinpoints Toxins

Gold Standard Inc (Tampa, Fla)recently launched ToxED, an electronicclinical toxicology reference designed toaddress the need for quick access toinformation at the point of care for thediagnosis and treatment of poisonings,drug overdoses, and exposure to chemicalsand hazardous waste. The referenceincludes Gold Standard's Drug IDentifiertool that instantly identifies tablets andcapsules based on multiple physicalcharacteristics and provides full-colordigital images of actual drug productsfor visual verification. ToxED's clinicaltoxicology information is presented in 3sections: (1) Emergency ManagementPrinciples, which provides a stepwiseapproach to the evaluation and treatmentof common poisonings and drugoverdoses; (2) Specific Agents andTreatments, which features a discussionof specific drug overdoses and poisons,including toxic dose, clinical presentation,diagnosis, and specific treatment;and (3) Environmental and OccupationalToxicology, which outlines the approachto hazardous materials incidents, theevaluation of occupational exposures,and toxic effects, physical properties, andworkplace exposure limits. For moreinformation, visit www.goldstandard.com,or call 800-375-0943.