Swisslog excels in pharmacy automation

Buchs/Aarau, 16 September 2010 – Based on its analysis of the European market for pharmacy automation systems, Frost & Sullivan named Swisslog Healthcare Solutions winner of the renowned "2010 Best Practices Award". The distinction recognizes Swisslog’s continued excellence in automated logistics solutions for healthcare institutions.

Frost & Sullivan presents "2010 Best Practices Award – Pharmacy Automation Solutions" to Swisslog Healthcare Solutions

Swisslog’s pharmacy automation systems, PillPick and BoxPicker, provide complete automated solutions to pharmacies from packaging of medications to storage, dosage, dispensing, and logistics. The corresponding inventory management software offers supply chain control from the dock to the patient.

According to the analysis by Frost & Sullivan, Swisslog scores the highest marks based on the five criteria applied. These include the leverage of competitive intelligence, execution of competitive strategy, impact on market share, brand strength, and impact on customer satisfaction/value.

Pieter Feenstra, Head of Healthcare Solutions Europe, is pleased by this important recognition “which underscores the many advantages offered by Swisslog’s pharmacy automation systems: They reduce waiting time for patients, lower medication errors, prevent adverse drug events, and reduce operating costs for the pharmacy. The overall result is improved patient safety while enhancing pharmacy productivity and turnover.” Moreover, Frost & Sullivan records that by providing a competent customer support with short response times, “Swisslog gains huge customer satisfaction and retention levels.”

PillPick is an automated unit dose packaging, storage and dispensing system that utilizes the bar-code technology to prepare patient-specific medication while BoxPicker is a high-density automated pharmacy warehouse for the storage and dispensing of medications and supplies. A dual-temperature option for BoxPicker allows automated storage and picking of temperature-sensitive drugs that require refrigeration as well as room temperature storage within one automated compact unit.

Within Europe, Swisslog has installed such systems in Austria, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway as well as Spain, and plans to expand in further countries. The growth potential of pharmacy automation systems in Europe is considerable, as most hospital pharmacies have either no automation or only basic automation systems in place. Swisslog is also a leading supplier of logistics solutions for hospitals in North America and Asia, offering a range of solutions which include pneumatic tube systems, automated guided vehicles and electric track vehicles.

Contacts:
Swisslog Holding AG
Christian Mäder
Chief Financial Officer
Tel: +41 (0)628 37 95 64
Fax:+41 (0)628 37 95 57
E-Mail: christian.maeder@swisslog.com
Internet: www.swisslog.com
    
Swisslog AG
Pieter Feenstra
Head Healthcare Solutions Europe
Tel.: +41 (0)62 837 41 41
Fax: +41 (0)62 837 44 99
E-mail: pieter.feenstra@swisslog.com
Internet: www.swisslog.com

About Swisslog
Swisslog is a global provider of integrated logistics solutions for warehouses, distribution centers and hospitals. Its comprehensive services portfolio ranges from building complex warehouses and distribution centers to implementing Swisslog's own software to intra-company logistics solutions for hospitals.

Swisslog’s solutions optimize customers’ production, logistics and distribution processes in order to increase flexibility, responsiveness and quality of service while minimizing logistics’ costs. With years of experience in the development and implementation of integrated logistics solutions, Swisslog provides the expertise on which customers in more than 50 countries around the world rely.

Headquartered in Buchs/Aarau, Switzerland, Swisslog currently employs over 2000 staff in 20 countries worldwide. The group’s parent company, Swisslog Holding AG, is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (security number: 1232462, Telekurs: SLOG, Reuters: SLOG.S). For more information, visit www.swisslog.com