Mobile med system for hospitals launched

While the current medication dispensing systems in many hospitals require nurses to carry medication from a cabinet to a patient's bedside in a cup, envelope, or pocket, Omnicell's new system holds each patient's medication in his or her own locked drawer. When the nurse scans the patient's wristband and verifies identity, the drawer opens automatically.

"The way it is now ... nurses can get interrupted on the way from the med room to the patient's room, and there is the possibility that medications will get mixed up. With the mobile cart, with up to 12 drawers, they can go directly to the patient's room," said Len Hom, product manager for Omnicell's mobile system. The system features two-dimensional bar-code capabilities for patient identification and medication administration, as well as automatic reporting functions for nurses.

The Mobile Medication System is currently being beta-tested by two hospitals, and Omnicell is looking for two or three more beta partners. By late summer, the system will be available on a wide scale.