Insights into Omnicell’s XR2 system for automated central pharmacies (still from video: Omnicell)

Omnicell – a Fort Worth-based company seeking to transform the pharmaceutical healthcare delivery model – has announced its Central Med Automation Service, a subscription-based solution designed to help healthcare systems build and continuously optimize centralized medication management for Consolidated Pharmacy Services Centers (CPSCs) and similar facilities.

The global company, which employs approximately 3,400 people across six continents and trades on the Nasdaq under the ticker symbol OMCL, said its Central Med Automation Service aims to streamline medication dispensing from a central fulfillment area across the healthcare system. Omnicell expects this to improve inventory visibility, scalability and patient safety.

High-tech robotics is at the heart of Omnicell’s XR2 automated central pharmacy system (still image from video: Omnicell)

“As the healthcare system grows, we are finding that traditional methods of medication management can lead to multi-vendor environments that complicate workflows, often create unnecessary redundancy and increase the likelihood of errors,” said Randall Lipps, chairman, president, CEO and founder of Omnicell, in a statement.

“Pharmacy leaders recognize the potential value of centralizing pharmacy services, but often lack the capital budgets, resources and expertise required to transform their infrastructure and scale it over time,” he added. “Omnicell’s Central Med Automation Service is designed to help healthcare systems develop and implement a centralized refill strategy while providing the expert support needed to ensure this environment meets current and future medication management needs.”

Omnicell said the Central Med Automation Service aims to seamlessly integrate enterprise-wide robotics, smart devices and intelligent software with expert services to help health systems build and continuously optimize their centralized pharmacy operations to support medication management in acute care, remote clinics and community locations.

Working with Omnicell’s XR2 automated central pharmacy system. (Still from video: Omnicell)

Features of the new system

According to Omnicell, the Central Med Automation Service includes:

Robotics and smart devices

Modern medication storage and dispensing robots are designed to automate critical workflows, reduce human error and maximize inventory control. With 100% barcode scanning and the ability to dispense medications based on expiration dates, these robots are designed to improve inventory visibility, increase efficiency and enhance patient safety – allowing pharmacy staff to focus on clinical initiatives rather than manual tasks.

Omnicell’s “intelligent” software is a central component of the Central Med Automation Service. (Still from the video: Omnicell)

software

Central Pharmacy Manager for Central Med Automation Service: This “smart” software is specifically designed to support centralized medication management workflows within a CPSC, including ordering, receiving, picking, reviewing, and refilling medications.

The Central Pharmacy Manager for the Central Med Automation Service features enhanced processing power designed to handle high volumes of medication transactions while optimizing distribution workflows within the central order fulfillment environment.

Inventory Optimization Service: This solution is a combination of software and expert services designed to provide enterprise-wide inventory visibility and management of drug stocks, expiration dates, and usage patterns through data-rich dashboards.

Expert Services

Upfront and ongoing consulting: Omnicell experts work with each customer to customize the Central Med Automation Service to meet the customer’s specific needs, including initial medication storage, distribution, and staffing processes. Ongoing, data-driven monitoring and updates are designed to ensure continuous operational optimization, efficiency, and patient safety for healthcare organizations.

Continuous on-site support: Dedicated on-site support for the operation of robots and intelligent devices is intended to support operational efficiency and productivity around the clock.

KPI Performance Tracking: Omnicell’s expert services use data analytics to provide operational performance metrics to enable informed decisions and continuous efficiency improvement.

Omnicell XR2 automated central pharmacy system (still image from video: Omnicell)

“Better and safer care”

To expand the capabilities and potential value of the Central Med Automation Service, several complementary robots, intelligent devices and software tools can be added, according to Omnicell.

These include the company’s suite of pharmacy carousels and packaging machines, 340B program management software and the Central Pharmacy Manager Mobile Workstation, a new offering designed to free pharmacy staff from fixed terminals and thus speed up order processing.

“Medications are complex and managing them is even more complex, especially at a time when we are facing growing shortages of medications and pharmacy technicians,” Nilesh Desai, chief pharmacist at Baptist Health, said in a statement. “Centralizing pharmacy services helps us address these challenges and provide better, safer care to our patients and communities. Achieving this vision would not have been possible without business partners like Omnicell, who are part of making us successful through the Central Med Automation Service.”

Omnicell said the Central Med Automation Service provides the flexibility needed to support hub-and-spoke, warehouse and hybrid approaches to centralizing pharmacy operations.

Founded in 1992, Omnicell’s mission is to transform pharmaceutical care through outcomes-based innovations aimed at optimizing clinical and business outcomes across all care settings.

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