HCMC Pharmacy Continues Equipment Upgrade

CUTLINE – Pictured is Director of Pharmacy Paula Bell working at the Pyxis PharmoPack system, one of the equipment upgrades the pharmacy has implement over the past few months.

PARIS, TN –Equipment upgrades continue at Henry County Medical Center, this time in the pharmacy with the addition of the most up-to-date equipment available. Three new automated systems are already online and a fourth system will be arriving at the hospital in the fall.

Purchased from BD, a global medical technology company which is committed to advancing medical discovery, diagnostics and deliver of care, the new systems currently online are the Pyxis MedStation ES, Pyxis PharmoPack, and the Pyxis Anesthesia Station ES. All three systems arrived at HCMC in the spring.

The MedStation ES is an automated medication dispensing system supporting decentralized medication management and the Anesthesia Station ES offers increased medication safety and anesthesia workflow efficiency in the operating room.  The PharmoPack is an automation system that provides medication packaging and barcoding in multi-unit dose for oral drugs.

According to HCMC Director of Pharmacy, Paula Bell, the new equipment was needed to replace older, outdated systems. “The medication automation equipment update that has occurred over the last several months is an important step in maintaining patient safety,” said Bell. “It allows multiple steps of checks and balances to ensure the five rights of medication administration, which are: the right patient, the right drug, the right dose, they right route and the right time.”

Bell said the final phase of the upgrade will occur in October when the BD Pyxis IV Prep is implemented. “The addition of IV Prep will be a tremendous addition for the hospital,” Bell explained. “It adds another layer of patient safety and precision in performing sterile compounding.

“We are fortunate as a community to have the most state of the art equipment available to our patients.”

For more information about HCMC and our services, check us out online at www.hcmc-tn.org.

Located in Paris, TN, Henry County Medical Center is a progressive, integrated healthcare organization committed to serving the healthcare needs of Henry County and the adjoining region.  Including a 142-bed hospital and other facilities, the medical center provides a variety of outpatient services, as well as inpatient care. Additionally, HCMC owns and operates 7 provider clinics in various specialties.  Henry County Medical Center is a county-owned and operated nonprofit institution. For more information: www.hcmc-tn.org.