Envision Telepharmacy's Recently Patented Process Lowers Sterile Compounding Costs

ALPINE, Texas, Feb. 13, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Envision Telepharmacy, LLC, a pioneer in remote pharmacy technology and services, announced today that the US Patent and Trademark Office has issued US Patent  8,374,887 covering the remote supervision and verification of sterile compounding by non-pharmacists in hospital and health care system settings. The patented method covers images or videos of the compounding process at appropriate stages, review by remotely-located pharmacists, and an indication of pharmacist verification.

To reduce the cost of high-risk compounding in restricted areas, Envision incorporated this patent into its Pharm-Q In the Hood (ITH) product.  Pharm-Q ITH lets technicians and pharmacists work together without pharmacists gowning-up and entering the restricted area or technicians interrupting their work to wait for, or seek out, their supervising pharmacists.

"The recent 2012 public health crisis tied to the New England Compounding Center (NECC) began to highlight systemic problems in sterile product compounding, and has underscored the importance of the both the methods of preparation used and accountability for process," said inventor and Envision CEO Emily Alexander, PharmD., BCPS. 

"Increasing use of outsourced sterile products has, in part, been an attempt to manage drug shortages and provide patient-driven health care.  The need for sterile compounded products will continue to increase as pharmaceutical companies continue to abandon drug production in response to declining margins. With increased oversight by state and federal agencies, the cost of producing sterile products will only rise.

"This makes for the perfect storm, driving all healthcare institutions to re-visit the economics and risks associated with compounded injectable preparations.  While safeguarding patients, our proprietary technology can help take the bite out of a costly but indispensable workflow element – pharmacist oversight and verification.  Our method allows best utilization of pharmacists and pharmacy technicians by allowing them to focus on the parts of the process that most need their specialized training and skills.  It also provides better process documentation, an area where increased scrutiny from regulators and accrediting agencies is already underway."

The recently assigned patent was licensed exclusively to Envision Telepharmacy, becoming part of Envision's ever-expanding technology portfolio. Since its inception nearly 10 years ago, Envision has made significant investments in technologies that generate real returns to hospitals and health care institutions while meeting increasingly complex medication preparation requirements.

About Envision Telepharmacy, LLC
Envision Telepharmacy was established in 2004 to provide better ways to extend pharmacy services for hospitals and health care systems in need. We are a pioneer in developing tools, services and systems  that provide electronic supervision and remote order processing through high-bandwidth, standards-based web technology, still imaging, and high resolution video.  Enabling and realizing safe, quality patient care and pharmacist access through the use of compliant and cost-effective telepharmacy solutions is our mission.

For more information about Envision Telepharmacy, LLC visit www.envision-rx.com or contact CEO Emily Alexander, PharmD, BCPS at (432) 897-0754 ext 105 or email envision(at)envision-rx(dot)com.

SOURCE Envision Telepharmacy, LLC