Hospital Pharmacy & Supply Chain Summit Provides Hospitals with Necessary Strategies for Bar Code Implementation

NEW YORK, April 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Amid JCAHO's new proposal to require hospitals to develop an implementation plan for bar code technology, IIR and HCEC's Hospital Pharmacy and Supply Chain Summit provides a timely solution for hospitals seeking implementation standards and strategies.

According to Ned Simpson, Auto ID and Bar Coding Task Force, HIMSS, "Much remains to be done before bar coding is a pervasive technology in hospitals and the full breadth of benefits are achieved, but this rules breaks the most difficult logjam that has held back adoption of bar coding in hospitals."

America's leading hospitals including the VA Hospital System, University of Wisconsin Hospital & Clinics, Brigham & Women's Hospital, and HCA, Inc., which have for a long time placed heavy emphasis on medical error reduction and automation have already successfully implemented bar code medication administration systems. However, such hospitals account for only 10 percent of the hospitals that must conform to the new mandates.

At IIR's & HCEC's upcoming Hospital Pharmacy Summit, over 30 distinguished speakers from these leading healthcare systems along with representation from the pharmaceutical industry, healthcare distributors, the UCC will discuss strategies for hospitals to implement bar code enabled systems. The Hospital Pharmacy Summit is being held July 20-22, 2004 at the Hilton Washington and Towers in Washington, DC.

Summit Chairperson John R.Combes, MD THE HOSPITAL AND HEALTH SYSTEM ASSOCIATION OF PA NCC MERP Distinguished Faculty Includes: Kenneth N. Barker, Ph D Bruce Cohen AUBURN UNIVERSITY GLAXOSMITHKLINE Mary Burkhardt, RPh, MS Allen Dunehew, RPh, MPA VHA NATIONAL CENTER FOR PATIENT SAFETY AMERINET Jane Englebright Garren Haggenmeir, HCA, Inc. HEALTHCARE EBUSINESS COLLABORATIVE John Fanikos MBA, RPh BRIGHAM AND WOMEN'S HOSPITAL Frank Kilzer ST. ALEXIUS MEDICAL CENTER Robert T. Kambic, MSH US DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND Del Mineard HUMAN SERVICES ROXANNE LABS Brad Ludwig Jonathan B. Perlin, MD, PhD UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN HOSPITAL VETERANS HEALTH AND CLINICS ADMINISTRATION Mike Gallo Alicia B. Perry, PharmD HDMA HCA, Inc William A. Gouveia, MS John Reiling, MBA, MHA TUFTS-NEW ENGLAND MEDICAL CENTER ST. JOSEPH'S HOSPITAL John Roberts Joe Pleasant UNIFORM CODE COUNCIL PREMIER, INC. Lynn Sanders, PharmD Ned Simpson, FHIMSS PHILADELPHIA VA MEDICAL CENTER HIMSS Mac Young WALDO COUNTY GENERAL HOSPITAL REGISTRATION To Register, call (888) 670-8200 Mention Your Special Registration Code: XELI2 CONTACT: Tosha Wesley 212-661-3500 x3069 twesley@iirusa.com

IIR

CONTACT: Tosha Wesley of IIR, +1-212-661-3500, ext. 3069, or
twesley@iirusa.com