Latest McKesson Automation Software Release Reduces Missing Medications And Improves Workflow

To advance patient safety and support process efficiency initiatives in hospitals, McKesson recently announced Connect-Rx software Release 7.1. The new release provides improved functionality for the company's AcuDose-Rx medication dispensing cabinets and Anesthesia-Rx medication carts. The enhancements are designed to increase charge capture, expand restocking capabilities for pharmacies, ensure medication availability for nursing and anesthesia providers, and improve patient care by reducing the risk of medication errors

McKesson's advanced anesthesia cart is designed to streamline operating room workflow with new functionality for both the pharmacy and surgical areas. It is the first and only cart on the market that offers an automated color syringe label printer, which provides the pharmacy with multiple options to customize medication label printing. This enables faster, more accurate visual identification during surgery to enhance anesthesia provider workflow. Additionally, with only two touches anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) have quick access to medications and narcotics during surgical procedures. During procedures, anesthesia providers document all actions electronically, so the pharmacy has accurate records of dispensing activities for inventory and billing purposes.

The enhancements to Anesthesia-Rx with this new software release were a result of McKesson's long-standing collaborative relationship with Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Point, N.J. "It's exciting to see the progress and enhancements that have been made to Anesthesia-Rx in such a short time frame," said Barbara Giacomelli, pharmacy director at Shore Memorial Hospital. "This new release provides capabilities that will further streamline processes while improving patient safety. We look forward to implementing the new features at Shore Memorial in the near future."

Missing medications can cause major issues for nurses and negatively affect patient care. With the new release, McKesson's medication dispensing cabinets now have six features that work in tandem to prevent stock outs and ensure nurses always have access to the medications they need. To further reduce the risk of dispensing errors, the system alerts nurses when changes have been made to medication orders. Additionally, a temperature monitoring solution for medications helps to ensure that storage and quality requirements are met.

The Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga., also partnered with McKesson to test the new release. "The new features have helped us optimize our medication dispensing processes, and we now avoid multiple fills of the same order," says Tad Gomez, director of pharmacy services. "With better information, we can place the right amount of inventory in the cabinets, and the nurses have everything they need at all times. As a result, they spend less time searching for missing medications and more time with patients."

"Hospitals like Shore Memorial and the Medical College of Georgia are leading the way in automation to drive positive change for patients," said Dave Souerwine, president, McKesson Provider Technologies. "The expanded capabilities of our latest software release reflect our commitment to develop solutions that can increase efficiencies and improve patient safety in hospitals and health systems throughout the country."

For more information, visit www.acudose-rx.com or visit www.anesthesia-rx.com.

About McKesson
McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 14th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. Over the course of its 177-year history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.

SOURCE: McKesson