ING. SUMETZBERGER: FULLY AUTOMATED DRUG DELIVERY BY PNEUMATIC TUBE SYSTEMS

PHARMACEUTICALS IN UNIT DOSES

The system enables the fully automated management and transport of the following pharmaceuticals:

- Pills

- Capsules

- Patches & other medical dressing

- Phials

- Ready-to-use syringes

The pharmaceuticals are prescribed via software. An IT interface enables that prescriptions are processed automatically.

PREPARATION AND TRANSPORT

The robot Calypso cuts medication blisters into unit doses. Thereby the blisters are not damaged so that they can be re-used if not taken by the patient. Calypso packs the unit doses into plastic bags and marks every unit dose with a barcode for exact identification before the pharmaceuticals are stored in the pharmacy robot Pegasus which collects the unit doses according to the automatically processed prescription. Pegasus bundles up to 10 unit doses with a plastic ring. The collected unit doses are marked with a barcode note identifying both the pharmaceuticals and the patient. Pegasus hands the pharmaceuticals over to the pneumatic tube system that enables fully automated transport.

AUTOMATED UNLOADING AND DISTRIBUTION

The pneumatic tube systems by Sumetzberger combine efficiency, rapidity and safety in transporting pharmaceuticals. They are adapted to the individual needs of hospitals and hospital pharmacies and offer decisive logsitic benefits:

- 24/7 availability

- Fully automated transport to the different wards

- Transport carriers equipped with programmable RFID chips

- Documentation of all deliveries

- Overtaking function for emergency transports

The patendted Auto Unload system for example enables not only the fully automated transport of carriers but also their fully automated unloading. A sensor checks if the carrier has been unloaded completely. This helps to reduce manual tasks to a minimum and to gain more time for the patient care. One carrier provides pharmaceuticals for up to 5 patients. With the transfer unit Power Transfer lines and transports are managed centrally. This saves time and money – especially in big hospitals with a great number of pneumatic tube lines.