Pharmacy Technology

MONTREAL — A new documentary film released by Institut Rosell-Lallemand discusses the discovery of beneficial bacteria and the role they play in our bodies, as well as the latest research on their potential to improve our lives.

“Microwarriors: The Power of Probiotics,” is available on DVD for an introductory price of $9.99. The film highlights probiotics and their contribution to overall health and well-being, the company said. The film was produced by Health Point Productions, a Los Angeles-based company.

ST. LOUIS — Patients with smart phones using pharmacy benefits served by Express Scripts can access their accounts through a new application launched Monday, the PBM said.

WASHINGTON — By 2015, “pharmacists will be the healthcare professionals responsible for providing patient care that ensures optimal medication therapy outcomes.” That was the consensus reached in the Joint Commission of Pharmacy Practitioners' vision statement at the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s Consumer Awareness, Resources, Education, State Policy and Testing Summit last month.

LEHIGH VALLEY, Pa. — HealthOneMed has launched a device that combines the abilities of pillboxes, reminders, dispensers and medication alerts into one.

JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. — Innovation’s PharmAssist Symphony pharmacy workflow system has received certification from Microsoft for applications running on Windows Server 2008 R2, Innovation said Friday.

The pharmacy automation company said the system was independently tested to meet the software giant’s standards for security, stability, availability, reliability and compatibility with the operating system.

The company said the certification built on its Gold Certified Partner status in the Microsoft Partner Program.

GRAPEVINE, Texas — A member-owned cooperative has inked a deal with a technology company that develops and provides integrated data-driven solutions for healthcare inventory logistics.

Topco said it selected Supplylogix to provide pharmacy inventory management and demand forecasting services, which will improve inventory positions and forecast demand for more than 60,000 pharmaceutical products sold across more than 1,000 pharmacy locations nationwide.

When ScriptPro started 
in­troducing pharmacy robots, it entered an industry where the pharmacist was mostly dolling out medications. Today, pharmacy automation and technology continue to evolve, freeing pharmacists’ time and taking on everything from workflow automation to smart-phone applications.

MOUNT KISCO, N.Y. — Prestige Brands became one of the first cough-cold marketers to develop a branded smart-phone app to help moms hone in on the most appropriate 
PediaCare remedy for their sick children. It’s not a bad play; a recent Millennial Media report indicated that in 2010, 32% of moms owned a smart phone, versus 20% in 2009.