Global leader in healthcare automation, Omnicell, is acting rapidly to support frontline workers across the globe.

Across the world, the Covid-19 outbreak is putting immense pressure on healthcare infrastructures and the point of care staff working within them. As this unprecedented demand on global health services continues, frontline healthcare staff are faced with serious issues such as shortages of Covid-19 medicines and supplies for vulnerable patients. Omnicell, a global leader in the field of healthcare automation, is acting rapidly to support frontline workers globally. In the UK Omnicell is supporting various trusts with its ground-breaking new Covid-19 Item Forecast Report.

Real time stock information

This report will provide customers with a real time view of stock items including Covid-19 related medicines and supplies across their Omnicell installations, as well as live reporting medicine usage on Covid-19 wards. This means it can identify if an item is at risk of running out and can therefore alert staff in enough time to avoid a shortage crisis. Furthermore, this feature of the report will allow healthcare staff to spend more time focusing on direct patient care rather than on manually keeping tabs on stock, a task that could be extremely difficult during these times of high demand.

Stock trend analysis

The Item Forecast Report can also present a trend analysis identifying if usage is increasing. This can support customers in actioning changes to stock levels to ensure they are reacting effectively to the demand. This will promote efficiency and safety in the fight against Covid-19 by taking the pressure of monitoring stock levels and anticipating issues away from busy frontline staff and trusting them to Omnicell’s world-class automated technology.

Omnicell has been driving innovation in medication and supply automated technology for 25 years across all healthcare settings. Its range of products and services aim to reduce medication dispensing errors, improve patient safety, drive efficiency and allow healthcare professionals to spend more time on face-to-face patient care.

Pharmacy IT Systems Manager Jamie Quinn from University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire said: “Overall the Omnicell Covid-19 Item Forecast Report has been useful in helping us to support our patients. I really like how it tells us quantity on hand, average daily use and how many days’ supply we have left of an item.

“Also, as the report highlights when we have less than 3 days stock available this provides us with a good opportunity to plan for weekends and bank holidays. I also found the ability to target critical medicines, rather than a whole cabinet’s stock, helped save us time”.

Also commenting was Deputy Director of Pharmacy Hardeep Bagga, who said: “During our Covid-19 planning around increasing our ITU capacity, real time stock holding visibility and seven-day ward top ups was a high priority. The use of Omnicell reporting and automated top up reports means we do most of this remotely, with the final step the Omnicell top up. The technology has allowed us to effectively manage stock holding and top ups for all of our critical care areas, 24/7.”

Donna McCormack, Pharmacy Technician Lead – Procurement, Homecare and Business Services at Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust said: “For the Critical Care team the report is hugely beneficial as it gives us an up to date trend on what’s happening with the stock levels of the drugs we need to monitor, so we can plan accordingly and move stock from other areas or direct from pharmacy as needed.”

Paul O’Hanlon, Vice President of International Sales at Omnicell, said: “These are unprecedented times. The swift impact that Covid-19 has had on our personal and professional lives is staggering. I cannot stress enough that supporting frontline healthcare workers during this critical time is our top priority, and this is what we aim to do with Omnicell’s Covid-19 Item Forecast Report.

The report will manage medication and medical equipment stock levels efficiently and proactively, thereby alleviating some of the immense pressures faced by healthcare staff. We hope that this will not only increase staff and patient safety but allow more time for essential face-to-face patient care during these turbulent times.”

The Item Forecast Report is just the latest commitment from Omnicell in supporting healthcare services amid the crisis. It follows on from the company’s New Rapid Pandemic Response Scheme, which is helping healthcare organisations to quickly put in place automation in order to support frontline workers in meeting the increasing demand for services.

As part of this scheme, Omnicell has removed barriers to ordering, shipping and installation of its XT Automated Dispensing Cabinets in order for hospitals to ‘scale-up’ additional medication management and supply needs as soon as required.

Omnicell installation teams have also been providing invaluable on-site support at a variety of healthcare organisations.

In addition to providing the above services, Omnicell’s Pandemic Response Team has established procedures and protocols designed to mitigate the risk of exposure to the virus and potential impact on business operations. As such, they have prioritised travel that is essential to implementations and support while prohibiting non-essential travel and adopting a global protocol for employees whose roles can be carried out remotely. This will help to maintain a safe working environment for customers and employees who are carrying out business-critical activities, including service, implementation, and supply chain.