Omnicell launches XT Amplify, amending pharmacy care delivery model

Pharmacy Care Delivery Challenges

“The first thing that we have continued to hear time and time again from our hospitals and health systems that we work with are labor shortages on both the nursing side and the pharmacy side,” explained Wright when PharmaNewsIntelligence asked him to explain the ongoing challenges with the current pharmacy care delivery model.

Labor shortages have widespread effects on care delivery as the staff must complete the same tasks regardless of the number of workers available at a given time. Beyond patient care, hospital staff are required to complete various administrative tasks that can be time-consuming.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, pharmacists and pharmaceutical staff experienced extraordinary stress levels and burdensome workloads. A combination of pandemic-related pressures and the existing stressors of the pharmaceutical workforce has resulted in a labor shortage across the field.

Even before the pandemic, many pharmacists reported feeling burnout. With these feelings exacerbated during the pandemic, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates a 6% decline in pharmacists working in pharmacies between 2019 and 2021. It also estimates that the projected growth of pharmacy employment between 2021 and 2031 will be 2% annually, significantly slower than the projected growth for other industries. 

Beyond labor shortages, Wright commented that hospitals' razor-thin margins pose an additional challenge. He emphasized continued reports of hospital losses and financial scrutiny of each investment.

“They have to look at [investments] with a very critical eye and make sure that they're investing in solutions that are going to improve care or help them deliver more efficiently, which will help them operate more effectively and more efficiently and impact their bottom line,” he explained.

XT Amplify

XT is Omnicell’s automated dispensing system line, which includes automated dispensing cabinets, supply cabinets, and anesthesia cabinets. According to Wright, Omnicell delivered significant value with its XT system; however, the company attempted to establish new opportunities without completely overhauling the line.

“Through a series of hardware, software, or service enhancements, they can get more value out of the investment that they've already made,” Wright explained. “That's the premise of the program.”

The company set out to determine how it could help its clients with the equipment they already have. XT Amplify is comprised of multiple components that enhance the XT system's existing features.

XTExtend

One such component is XTExtend, a console swap that provides clients with an additional security layer.

“XTExtend is a console upgrade,” reiterated Wright. This was the first element of the program designed to enhance security and give [hospitals] the latest operating system as well as some user improvements.”

User improvements included brighter screens, more responsive keyboards, and other components established based on user responses.

MedChill

The next component of XTAmplify is MedChill.

“This is a refrigerated enclosure that would go inside existing refrigerators,” he noted. “Again, customers have invested in these refrigerators all across their hospitals, and rather than have to forklift out that refrigerator and give them an all-new one, this is saying, [they] can use that refrigerator, but get enhanced control down to a line item level inside that refrigerator by adding this enclosure into it.”

For example, a lock-lidded enclosure can fit inside the refrigerator and control access to temperature-controlled medications. 

SupplyXpert

SupplyXpert is another feature of XT Amplify that helps hospitals manage their supplies more efficiently and effectively.

“We heard [from our clients] there is a lot of value in XT Supply, but we also have supplies that are managed on open shelves, and [hospitals] need a solution that helps create some visibility across all of the supply.”

SupplyXpert is a software tool that works with the XT supply cabinets Omnicell’s clients already have in their facilities, as well as with open-shelf supply locations.

“With this software, [clients] can have visibility to both areas to help manage supplies.”

ServerScale

ServerScale is another feature of XT Amplify, prompted by expanding hospitals and health systems acquiring new locations. As these new locations are acquired, hospitals and health systems must consider how to deploy their technologies, including automatic dispensing cabinets (ADCs).

“They budget for that; they plan for that — it's fantastic. But then what happens is [they] realize that those additional ADCs now have put [their] existing server over its capacity.”

The companies then must invest in new servers and infrastructure, contributing to unbudgeted expenses. Wright explained that ServerScale allows Omnicell to manage those aspects and enables the clients to focus on medication management.

CarePlus

“The very last one is CarePlus,” noted Wright. “CarePlus surrounds the technology with expert services to help ensure that customers get the most out of it.”

“There's two parts to the expertise,” he continued. “There are the onsite experts who are there with [the client], and they can visually see how you're using the technology and help you make adjustments accordingly.”

According to the Omnicell website, CarePlus offers multiple professional services, including technology installation and configuration, program and change management, clinical and technical advisory, and training and certifications.

“There's a second line of this that is potentially even more powerful when you think about the reach of Omnicell. We're in about half of the hospitals and health systems in the country, depending on the data you look at,” he added. “Now, we have a team of experts that are remote experts that are also looking at data from all of these sites, helping using it to benchmark, establish and identify best practices, and then communicate those best practices to the onsite experts so they can go off and deploy those onsite.”

The connected intelligence component of CarePlus offers advanced analytics, data visualization, and reporting and benchmarking tools.

Implications of XT Amplify

Wright emphasized that these tools are intended to streamline procedures and mitigate hiccups in the pharmacy care delivery model. Omnicell predicts that the increased visualization and reduced wastage offered by this program will improve the care delivery model. In fact, CarePlus alone results in 54% less time spent at medication cabinets.

“When you look at these solutions that are all designed around making nurses more efficient, the goal is not just to make them more efficient; it's with that efficiency is now more time that that nurse can spend with their patient,” he concluded. “Omnicell remains committed to doing the same thing in all of these other areas of care where medications are managed from inpatient to outpatient. So while this release is focused on one particular area, this must be the same lens we're using everywhere.”

Editor's Note: This article has been edited for typos and to reflect corrections in the utility of MedChill.