Bridge Medical Joins PyxisPartner Program; Medication Error Software System Will be Backed by Pyxis Service Organization to Create Industry-Leading Patient Safety Solution.

Business Editors & Health/Medical Writers

SAN DIEGO--(BW HealthWire)--Feb. 9, 2001

Bridge Medical Inc. today announced joining the PyxisPartner Program with Pyxis Corp., a subsidiary of Cardinal Health Inc.(NYSE:CAH).

Under the agreement, Pyxis will leverage the strength of its nationwide customer service organization and the dedicated support of its Worldwide Service Center to provide installation and service for the Bridge MedPoint(TM) medication management system. Bridge Medical offers proprietary software to help hospitals address the problem of medication errors.

Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

The two companies also announced that the Bridge MedPoint(TM) medication management system will be supported on the recently debuted Pyxis PatientStation(TM), to provide a comprehensive and seamlessly integrated point-of-care information system at the patient bedside.

Pyxis first introduced PatientStation(TM) at the 35th American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Midyear Clinical meeting in Las Vegas, Dec. 5-8, 2000. The system is healthcare's first comprehensive point-of-care information system designed for use by both clinicians and patients. Pyxis PatientStation(TM) is designed to reduce medication errors, improve patient safety and increase patient satisfaction.

"This agreement expands the direct benefits we bring to the healthcare market and to over 4,000 Pyxis customers. Our service organization's capabilities and 24x7x365 support will greatly assist Bridge in driving their software sales and increasing customer confidence," said Stephen S. Thomas, president, Pyxis Corp. "In addition, the Pyxis PatientStation(TM) platform is ideally suited to support such solutions as MedPoint(TM) from Bridge Medical. Together we offer hospitals a powerful new solution in reducing medication errors, streamlining nursing workflow, and improving patient outcomes."

"We are delighted to be joining the PyxisPartner Program," said John Grotting, Bridge president and chief executive officer. "Bridge was founded to help healthcare providers eliminate medication errors, prevent adverse drug events and improve the outcome of medication therapies. Because the medication use system is so complex and errors occur at every stage -- prescribing, preparation, dispensing, distribution and administration -- it has always been our strategy to work in partnership with other organizations, developing and integrating a wide range of technology and service solutions. In addition, the Pyxis PatientStation(TM) platform is ideally suited to support such solutions as MedPoint."

The PyxisPartner program leverages the shared resources of Pyxis and its partners to create a suite of value-added solutions for all of their healthcare customers. In this agreement, Pyxis will be responsible to install the MedPoint software, train the users, manage the call center and provide remedial on-site service.

Bridge Medical (http://www.bridgemedical.com), headquartered in San Diego, was founded in 1996 to help health care providers eliminate medication errors, reduce adverse drug events, and improve medication therapy outcomes. The Bridge MedPoint System, introduced in 1998, uses bar-code scanning, wireless networking, and innovative integrated software programs and expert clinical knowledge bases to help hospitals prevent medication error at the point-of-care.

A subsidiary of Dublin, Ohio-based Cardinal Health, San Diego-based Pyxis Corp. (http://www.pyxis.com) was established in 1987 with a simple objective: to revolutionize the way medication and supplies are distributed within health-care facilities. Pyxis automated dispensing technology allows health-care providers to streamline the medication and medical-supply distribution process, cut costs, save time and enables pharmacists and nurses to direct more energy to clinical solutions resulting in better patient care. The company currently serves more than 4,000 customers worldwide.

All Pyxis products are part of the Pyxis SAFETYnet, a company-wide commitment to provide industry-leading technology, training programs, customer service and support that enable health-care providers to deliver safer, more efficient, high-quality patient care. With Pyxis SAFETYnet, Pyxis provides automation that helps to protect patients, staff and the bottom line for our customers.

Cardinal Health Inc., (http://www.cardinal.com) is a leading provider of products and services supporting the health-care industry. Cardinal companies develop, manufacture, package and market products for patient care; develop drug-delivery technologies; distribute pharmaceuticals, medical-surgical and laboratory supplies; and offer consulting and other services that improve quality and efficiency in health-care. The company employs more than 42,000 people on five continents and produces annual revenues approaching $30 billion.