AmerisourceBergen Helps Hospitals and Manufacturers Respond to New FDA Barcode Regulations with Broadest Array of Solutions.Business Editors/Health/Medical Writers VALLEY FORGE Valley Forge, on the Schuylkill River, SE Pa., NW of Philadelphia. There, during the American Revolution, the main camp of the Continental Army was established (Dec., 1777–June, 1778) under the command of Gen. George Washington. , Pa.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 2004 Hospital Patient Safety and Efficiency to Be Improved With Products and Services AmerisourceBergen Corporation (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. ), one of the largest pharmaceutical services companies in the U.S., today said it has the broadest array of solutions to help pharmaceutical manufacturers and hospitals respond to the Food and Drug Administration's new barcode regulations. The recently announced regulations require, within the next two years, supermarket-like barcodes on most pharmaceuticals and blood products used in hospitals. "We are pleased that the FDA FDA abbr. Food and Drug Administration FDA, n.pr See Food and Drug Administration. FDA, n.pr the abbreviation for the Food and Drug Administration. has taken this important step towards significantly improving patient medication safety," said Kurt Hilzinger, President and Chief Operating Officer Chief Operating Officer (COO) The officer of a firm responsible for day-to-day management, usually the president or an executive vice-president. of AmerisourceBergen. "We are committed to utilizing our broad array of scalable and fully integrated barcode-enabled products and services to help both manufacturers and healthcare providers comply with the new rule and improve the quality of patient care delivered in America." AmerisourceBergen is a leader in packaging pharmaceuticals directly for manufacturers, and also repackaging products into unit dose formats for providers, using barcodes at every step of the process to enhance product tracking capabilities. "With our experience in fulfilling barcoded packaging needs for both manufacturers and end users, we believe AmerisourceBergen is uniquely positioned to help our manufacturer customers comply with the FDA's new rule and enhance our provider customers' patient safety efforts," said Ed Hancock, President, AmerisourceBergen Packaging Group. In order to take advantage of the full potential of barcoded pharmaceuticals, hospitals need the best barcode-enabled technology available to track medications from the moment they arrive at the loading dock to the moment they are administered to the patient. "AmerisourceBergen offers customers an open architecture approach to improving patient safety. Using both a customer's existing technology investments as well as our own proprietary technology, we believe we can offer a uniquely comprehensive and cost effective solution that measurably improves patient safety," said Rusty rust·y adj. rust·i·er, rust·i·est 1. Covered with rust; corroded. 2. Consisting of or produced by rust. 3. Of a yellowish-red or brownish-red color. 4. Lewis, President, AmerisourceBergen Technology Group. Drawing from the strengths of its own AutoMed pharmacy automation technology, MedSelect barcode-enabled cabinet storage solutions, and Bridge Medical bedside scanning capabilities, AmerisourceBergen uses its Choice Systems integrators An individual or organization that builds systems from a variety of diverse components. With increasing complexity of technology, more customers want complete solutions to information problems, requiring hardware, software and networking expertise in a multivendor environment. to seamlessly create a customer-centered patient safety solution. AutoMed's automation technology streamlines pharmacy operations by improving inventory management and automating the dispensing dispensing provision of drugs or medicines as set out properly on a lawful prescription. A prescription can only be filled, the drugs supplied, by a registered pharmacist, veterinarian, dentist or member of the medical profession. process. AutoMed systems are used today to package and barcode pharmaceuticals in unit dose format to enhance tracking and reduce manual picking, thereby reducing the potential for errors. MedSelect cabinets store pharmaceutical and medical products by barcode and track cabinet inventory, usage by patient, usage by provider, and other critical data. Bridge Medical's barcode point-of-care verification system automates the "Five Rights" checking process, ensuring that the right patient is receiving the right drug at the right time in the right dose via the right route. AmerisourceBergen's technology and expertise combine to offer our customers the most flexible, most comprehensive approach to using barcode technology to improve patient safety in the industry. About AmerisourceBergen AmerisourceBergen (NYSE:ABC) is the largest pharmaceutical services company in the United States United States, officially United States of America, republic (2005 est. pop. 295,734,000), 3,539,227 sq mi (9,166,598 sq km), North America. The United States is the world's third largest country in population and the fourth largest country in area. dedicated solely to the pharmaceutical supply chain. It is the leading distributor of pharmaceutical products and services to the hospital market, physician's offices, alternate care and mail order facilities, and independent and chain pharmacies. The Company is also a leader in the long term care pharmacy marketplace, the workers' compensation workers' compensation, payment by employers for some part of the cost of injuries, or in some cases of occupational diseases, received by employees in the course of their work. fulfillment ful·fill also ful·fil tr.v. ful·filled, ful·fill·ing, ful·fills also ful·fils 1. To bring into actuality; effect: fulfilled their promises. 2. business and contract packaging for manufacturers. With more than $45 billion in annualized annualized Of or relating to a variable that has been mathematically converted to a yearly rate. Inflation and interest rates are generally annualized since it is on this basis that these two variables are ordinarily stated and compared. operating revenue operating revenue Revenue from any regular source. Revenue from sales is adjusted for discounts and returns when calculating operating revenue. Compare other revenue. , AmerisourceBergen is headquartered in Valley Forge, PA, and employs more than 14,000 people. AmerisourceBergen is ranked #24 on the Fortune 500 list and was ranked #6 in the 2003 Business Week 50, a list of the 50 best performing companies in the S & P 500. For more information, go to www.amerisourcebergen.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS forward-looking statement A projected financial statement based on management expectations. A forward-looking statement involves risks with regard to the accuracy of assumptions underlying the projections. This news release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. These statements are based on management's current expectations and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. Actual results may vary materially from the expectations contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements may include statements addressing future financial and operating results of AmerisourceBergen and the benefits and other aspects of the 2001 merger between AmeriSource Health Corporation and Bergen Brunswig Corporation. The following factors, among others, could cause actual results to differ materially from those described in any forward-looking statements: competitive pressures; the loss of one or more key customer relationships; customer insolvencies; changes in customer mix; changes in pharmaceutical manufacturers' pricing and distribution policies; regulatory changes; changes in U.S. government policies; failure to integrate the businesses of AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig successfully; failure to obtain and retain expected synergies from the merger of AmeriSource and Bergen Brunswig; and other economic, business, competitive, regulatory and/or operational factors affecting the business of AmerisourceBergen generally. More detailed information about these factors is set forth in AmerisourceBergen's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K Form 10-K A report required by the SEC from exchange-listed companies that provides for annual disclosure of certain financial information. Form 10-K See 10-K. for fiscal 2003. AmerisourceBergen is under no obligation to (and expressly disclaims any such obligation to) update or alter any forward looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. |
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