Robotic IV compounding comes to UMass

Hazardous IV prep is becoming an automated process at the UMass Memorial Medical Center in Massachusetts. The hospital is using the CytoCare robot from healthcare services provider and drug wholesaler McKesson to automate the compounding of intravenous drugs.

The robotic system lessons staff exposure to toxic agents in the hospital pharmacy, which handles about 5,000 IV products per month. That compounding load was spread across 11 pharmacists, says a release.

CytoCare boasts HL7 interfaces. And it has a continuous production flow feature that aids in planning sterile-prep schedules and in complying with quality and safety regulations.

- see the UMass release
- here's a video