A group of researches has created a hydrogel membrane that “opens†and “closes†in response to magnetic flux. The discovery could lead to delivery systems capable of precision drug therapy for a host of conditions.
Cool Stuff
How to perform an autopsy without getting dirty.
Norrköping Visualization Centre and the Center for Medical Image Science and Visualization in Sweden have developed a Virtual Autopsy Table. The table makes use of high resolution MRIs to create incredible 3D images that can be manipulated on the table via multi-touch technology.
Cool Technology for Pharmacy
The Xcelodose 600 S System , manufactured by Capsugel, a division of Pfizer, is a precision powder micro-doser and automated encapsulator designed for pharmaceutical research and development. The system has the ability to fill formulations or active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) directly into capsules with a remarkable level of accuracy. The Xcelodose can weigh doses as … Read more
Using a “micro shuttle†to control drug delivery
Queen Mary University of London: “The capsules, which have a diameter of two micrometers (about the size of a bacterium), are built by wrapping strands of a metabolism-resistant material around spherical particles, which are then dissolved in acid, leaving behind an empty container. To fill the capsules, the scientists heat them in a solution that … Read more
Cool Technology for Pharmacy
Proteus Biomedical: “Proteus ingestible event markers (IEMs) are tiny, digestible sensors made from food ingredients, which are activated by stomach fluids after swallowing. Once activated, the IEM sends an ultra low-power, private, digital signal through the body to a microelectronic receiver that is either a small bandage style skin patch or a tiny device insert … Read more
Cool Technology for Pharmacy
It’s not uncommon for our pharmacy to unit-dose liquid medications from a bulk bottle; 5mL Donnatal oral syringes, 20mL SMX/TMP and 15mL chlorhexidine unit-dosed cups, etc. Pulling up oral syringes and filling unit-dose medication cups is a manual and time consuming process.
Thoughts on speech recognition in pharmacy
I still work in the pharmacy on occasion. It keeps me up to date with changes that I’ve made to various pharmacy systems and gives me the opportunity to make sure my pharmacist skills haven’t evaporated. One thing it doesn’t do is get me away from my current technology related duties. In fact it puts me closer to the action and even more accessible to pretty much everyone, which means I spend a majority of my “staffing†time dealing with things related to our automation; carousel picks and loads, packager fills, compunder checking, labeler input and checking, minor troubleshooting, etc. It’s not that someone else can’t do it, but that’s the way it works out.
Cool Technology for Pharmacy
The Capsule Machine
Capsule machines don’t exactly automate the process of filling capsules from scratch, but they sure do speed up the process. Anyone that has spent time punching capsules by hand will appreciate what a capsule machine can do for you. They are a real time saver.
Devices like these are used almost exclusively by compounding pharmacies and typically make up to 100 capsules at a time. Sure there are bigger capsule machines out there, but they typically aren’t used in community based pharmacies. I spent many hours in just such a pharmacy using capsule machines to make all sorts of things for both human and animal consumption. I don’t know how many thousand capsules I made, but rest assured it was a lot.
Cool Technology for Pharmacy
Maya from MedMinder looks like and ordinary medication organizer with 28 separate compartments representing a week’s supply of medication (7 columns = 7 days/week x 4 rows = AM/Noon/PM/HS). The device uses wireless technology to update MedMinder’s central database with the patient’s medication activity. Patients and caregivers can access this information via the web or receive emails and text messages with reminders and reports.
First Impression – Dell Latitude XT2
I got my hands on another new tablet PC today. This time it was the Dell Latitude XT2. This is our hospitals convertible tablet of choice. I would have preferred the Lenovo ThinkPad X200 Tablet, but as I have mentioned many times before we are a Dell shop. The Dell Latitude XT2 is a very … Read more