MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ: OMCL), a leading provider of medication and supply management solutions and analytics software for healthcare facilities, today announced it has launched Mandarin-language versions of its G4 medication automation products for clinical use in China. The successful language conversion of Omnicell medication cabinets enables Chinese
hospitals to access advances in operational improvements similar to those made available in English-speaking markets earlier this year when Omnicell launched its new automation platform.
This groundbreaking medication automation system was first implemented at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) in Beijing. A recently completed multi-month pilot study of the Mandarin-language Omnicell automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) at PUMCH found that the Omnicell ADCs save each floor nurse nearly two hours per day that were previously spent locating medications and which can now be re-directed back to patient care. The hospital has plans to extend its use of Omnicell ADCs to other areas of the hospital.
"By automating the medication dispensing and administration process, we are able to store and retrieve medications securely from the Omnicell ADCs on the patient floors, which are restocked automatically by the pharmacy staff," said Weinan Liu, chief nurse, Peking Union Medical College Hospital. "The Omnicell automation process significantly reduces the time our nursing staff spends manually retrieving medications from the central pharmacy. This allows our nurses to focus more time on patient care."
In a news segment titled "Return Time to Nurses, Return Nurses to Patients," a China national television network recently featured the Omnicell medication automation advancements at PUMCH as a leading example of improvements being made in the Chinese healthcare system.
PUMCH is a renowned 1,800-bed general hospital affiliated with both Peking Union Medical College and the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. It has been a top-ranked hospital in China for over 80 years and has been recognized by Central Government agencies and local government agencies for its outstanding medical service and quality patient care with over 19 awards such as, "Top Ten Hospitals in Beijing" and "Top 100 National Hospitals."
"The development of a Mandarin-language automation system user interface is the culmination of a significant Omnicell investment and demonstrates our unmatched commitment to bringing advanced medication automation solutions to the Chinese market," said Randall Lipps, Omnicell president, chairman and CEO. "We believe we are the first major supplier of automation to install Mandarin language ADCs in this market."
Following the successful conversion of Omnicell's breakthrough G4 medication automation platform for the special language requirements of China, the company has announced a partnership with China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of China Resources Pharmaceutical Group, to distribute Omnicellautomated medication dispensing systems in China.
Early in 2011, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce released a five-year plan that commits the Chinese pharmaceutical distribution industry to consolidate into three primary pharmaceutical suppliers, one of which is China Resources Pharmaceutical. The plan further encourages pharmaceutical distribution companies to modernize the distribution process and improve the supply chain and control of medication.
"This partnership between China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical and Omnicell marks a milestone in the history of Chinese medicine by improving supply chain efficiencies and inventory management and increasing patient safety," said Madam Chen Ji-shen, chairperson of China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. "Our relationship with Omnicell will advance the development of China's pharmacy automation. The combination of Omnicell technology with China Resources Pharmaceutical's vision to improve the medication supply chain will streamline the distribution process from the hospital warehouse into the hospital ward, and will help ensure
patient safety by working to reduce human error."
After this initial entry into the Chinese market, Omnicell expects further installations to take place after hospital workflows are adjusted to take advantage of efficiencies available from automated solutions.
"Developing this new market for medication automation will require close work with our new partners. We are excited to further build our presence in the China market and look forward to working with the nation's hospitals to create solutions tailored to their specific needs which allow healthcare workers, in turn, to spend more time on effective patient care," said Lipps. "As China moves forward with the reform and development of its pharmaceutical distribution system, Omnicell technology and support services are now available to hospitals to help them become increasingly efficient and safe."
About Omnicell
Omnicell, Inc. (NASDAQ: OMCL) is a leading provider of automated and business information solutions enabling hospitals and healthcare systems to streamline the medication administration process and manage costly medical supplies for increased operational efficiency and enhanced patient safety. Through seamless integration with a hospital's existing IT infrastructure, Omnicell solutions empower healthcare facilities to achieve comprehensive automation of medication and supply management from the arrival at the loading dock to the patient's bedside. Omnicell also provides healthcare facilities with business analytics software designed to improve
medication diversion detection and regulatory compliance.
Since 1992, more than 2,500 hospital customers worldwide have relied on Omnicell's medication automation, supply chain, and hospital analytics solutions to increase patient safety, improve efficiency and address changing healthcare regulations while providing effective control of costs, charge capture for payer reimbursement and inventory management of medications and supplies.
For more information about Omnicell, please visit www.omnicell.com
About China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd.
China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., a member of IFPW (International Federation of Pharmaceutical Wholesalers), is a Chinese leading wholesaler, distributor, retail chain owner with annual sales RMB 30 billion. It is a member of China Resources Group - a leading Chinese State Owned conglomerate, which is headquartered in Hong Kong.
China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical is based in Beijing, with subsidiaries in Beijing and 16 provinces. Backed by China Resources Group, it accelerates its M&A process with goal to cover the entire China. The company has formed partnerships with most global pharmaceutical, healthcare, and medical equipment and device companies and leading Chinese domestic companies, with totally over 3000 suppliers. It provides products and services primarily to hospitals, community clinics, as well as to retail drug stores and other wholesalers.
As a pioneer in the healthcare industry, China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical is the first enterprise to build a state-of-the-art distribution center in China, and completed in 2003. It was also the first major pharmaceutical distributor to provide contracted services to community clinics in 2006 as the Beijing municipal government conducted healthcare reform. In 2010, it was the first company to take advantage of its storage and distribution expertise to assist hospital pharmacies in redesigning central pharmacy and designing private pharmacy management software. This project is heavily promoted by the Ministry of Commerce as a model for hospital pharmacy reform in
China.
China Resources Beijing Pharmaceutical's chairperson, Madam Chen Ji-shen, is the first Chinese national to sit on the board of IFPW.
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