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Amerinet and McKesson Sign Exclusive Multi-Product Agreement

Posted on: Wednesday, 17 October 2007, 09:00 CDT

McKesson, the world's largest healthcare services, automation and information technology company, has signed an agreement with Amerinet Inc., a leading national healthcare purchasing organization, to be the single-source provider of central pharmacy robotic drug distribution systems to Amerinet members. The agreement also gives Amerinet members access to McKesson's bar-code based medication packaging solutions.

As part of the three-year agreement, Amerinet's 2,100 member hospitals will have the option to purchase McKesson's robot (ROBOT-Rx™) for the central pharmacy, which is widely recognized for its accuracy in the prevention of medication dispensing errors. Members may also purchase packaging technologies (including PACMED™ and Bulk Packagers) that provide unit-dose bar-coded medications to facilitate medication scanning at the point of care.

"McKesson is honored to work with Amerinet as it seeks to achieve safer and more efficient medication management in its member hospitals," said Dave Souerwine, president of McKesson's automation solutions group. "This agreement is also an important opportunity to demonstrate the value of McKesson's integrated solutions in a market that represents approximately a quarter of the nation's hospitals."

By rapidly producing oral solid medications in bar-coded packages, PACMED and Bulk Packagers accelerate medication dispensing, administration, charging and inventory capabilities. ROBOT-Rx is the only proven robotic inpatient pharmacy system based on more than a decade of pharmacy automation expertise, and it operates successfully in hundreds of hospital pharmacies throughout the United States and Canada. These robots dispense half a billion bar-coded medication doses every year -- virtually error-free. ROBOT-Rx provides the foundation for hospitals that want to scan medications at the bedside using bar-code verification, ensuring the "five rights" of medication safety - the right patient receives the right medication, at the right time, in the right dosage, and via the right route.

About McKesson

McKesson Corporation, currently ranked 18th on the FORTUNE 500, is a healthcare services and information technology company dedicated to helping its customers deliver high-quality healthcare by reducing costs, streamlining processes, and improving the quality and safety of patient care. McKesson is the longest-operating company in healthcare today, and will mark 175 years of continuous operations in 2008. Over the course of its history, McKesson has grown by providing pharmaceutical and medical-surgical supply management across the spectrum of care; healthcare information technology for hospitals, physicians, homecare and payors; hospital and retail pharmacy automation; and services for manufacturers and payors designed to improve outcomes for patients. For more information, visit http://www.mckesson.com.

About Amerinet Inc.

Through Total Spend Management Solutions, Amerinet strategically partners with health care providers to improve operating margins by creating efficiencies, reducing costs and identifying new revenue streams. Supported by a team of clinical, data and supply chain experts, Amerinet offers a suite of tools, programs and services including a comprehensive and competitive portfolio that delivers practical solutions to address members' specific needs. Based in St. Louis, Mo., with offices in Salt Lake City, Utah, Providence, R.I., and Warrendale, Pa., Amerinet serves more than 22,000 acute and non-acute health care providers nationwide. To learn more, visit http://www.amerinet-gpo.com.

Source: Business Wire

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