Remote Island or Major Metropolis, PickPoint Delivers Pharmacy Services

In a remote medical clinic on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska, a healthcare provider needs prescription drugs for a patient, but there is no pharmacy or pharmacist within hundreds of miles. The solution? PickPoint Corporation.

Using PickPoint's secure remote dispensing system that utilizes robust, simple-to-use Flexware™ remote operation software, the patient is on his way, medication in hand, in a matter of minutes. How?

At the clinic, a healthcare provider enters the needed prescription into PickPoint's Flexware. A pharmacist at the main medical center in Anchorage then reviews the prescription in Flexware or receives it by fax. After screening the prescription and patient files for counter indication factors like allergies, he processes the prescription and authorizes the clinic's PickPoint LxS cabinet to dispense the specific item. A complete, barcoded label and Patient Education Sheet are then printed at the clinic. The label is scanned and the LxS cabinet dispenses the prepackaged medication. The healthcare professional then scans the product's barcode to verify the action, affixes the label and gives the medication and Patient Education Sheet to the patient. PickPoint's videoconferencing equipment at both locations makes possible an immediate pharmacist-patient consultation, if necessary.

"Simply stated, we enable pharmacies to expand their operations without having to use brick and mortar," says PickPoint President Kevin C. Delaney. "In a process termed telepharmacy, we employ vending technology that gives healthcare providers a system that is simple to use and always operational. Equipment security is not an issue as each LxS cabinet, containing about 100 medications, is constructed of 14-gauge steel and bullet-proof glass. It is virtually theft proof.

"Generally, our customers are in locations that are without access to pharmacists. That includes remote areas, of course, but also inner-city locations like San Francisco where we dispense from UCSF to St. Anthony's free medical clinic, for example. In addition, we work with large companies that are self insured and operate clinics on site. Where a company would need about 6,000 employees to support a traditional pharmacy, the number is reduced to 600 with our system.

"Bringing pharmacy to the point of care is our vision," adds Delaney. "Government agencies, military installations, large companies, university and community clinics, doctors' offices all are potential markets. They are embracing the concept quickly as PickPoint expects to triple its revenue and double its workforce in 2007. Imagine being able to make one stop at the pediatrician's office with your toddler and not having to make a second stop at the pharmacy to have the prescription filled. Convenience is important to everyone."

Demonstrations of its telepharmacy process are available at the company headquarters at 4234 Hacienda Drive, Suite 101 and detailed information about the company is available at www.pickpoint.com.

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