Press Releases

ANAHEIM, CALIF., Dec. 4, 2006 — Cardinal Health, the leading provider of products and services supporting the health-care industry, today showcased its medication technologies that offer hospitals a comprehensive program to manage all medications – from pharmacy to nursing to the point of care.

 

At the 41^st Mid-Year Clinical Meeting and Exhibition for the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), Cardinal Health highlighted how it can help hospitals protect and manage medication through key technologies and services from its diverse set of business units. Cardinal Health supports the entire process with inventory and logistics management services, unit-dose packaging, order management, secure access and selection, verification, administration and documentation for all medications, including IVs, which represent 61 percent of the most serious and costly medication errors.  Through the collection and analysis of data, Cardinal Health can also help hospitals identify opportunities for medication safety best practices and rapid productivity improvements.

 

“Cardinal Health wants to help hospitals realize the full potential of a simpler, safer and more effective medication management process,” said Mark Rosenbaum, president of Integrated Provider Solutions for Cardinal Health. “Cardinal Health is the only company that can provide an end-to-end solution, which means health-care organizations can continue to leverage their investment in our enterprise-wide medication management technologies and services as we continue to introduce new, integrated product offerings.”

 

Cardinal Health’s comprehensive medication management approach is made possible by combining several of the company’s offerings, including the following new products and services:

The new products and services build upon the existing capabilities from Cardinal Health’s industry-leading Alaris^® infusion safety systems and Pyxis^® automation technologies, which form the foundation of the company’s offerings that help reduce medication complexity and simplify the medication management process.

 

“The true power of what Cardinal Health brings to our customers comes from the intersection of offerings that positively impact patient safety and hospital operating efficiencies,” Rosenbaum added.

 

The company also highlighted recent efforts to improve patient safety at hospitals across the country through its partnerships with hospitals to provide pharmacy management services and through the Cardinal Health Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence.

 

McLeod Regional Medical Center has received recent accolades for dramatic improvements in patient safety by implementing virtually all of the recommendations for the recent Institute of Medicine report. McLeod partnered with Cardinal Health, who manages more than 240 hospital pharmacies nationwide, for pharmacy management and to implement new technologies and programs, including automated medication management, bar coding, electronic medication profiles and a drug reconciliation program, as part of an interdisciplinary approach to reducing medication errors.

 

In addition, Cardinal Health’s Center for Safety and Clinical Excellence was a primary supporter of a regional task force to improve patient safety by eliminating variation in intravenous (IV) medication practices among hospitals in San Diego County.

 

Headquartered in Dublin, Ohio, Cardinal Health, Inc. (NYSE: CAH) is an $81 billion, global company serving the health-care industry with a broad portfolio of products and services.  Through its diverse offerings, Cardinal Health delivers health-care solutions that help customers reduce their costs, improve safety and productivity, and deliver better care to patients.  The company manufactures, packages and distributes pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, offers a range of clinical services and develops automation products that improve the management and delivery of supplies and medication for hospitals, physician offices and pharmacies.  Ranked No. 19 on the Fortune 500, Cardinal Health employs more than 55,000 people on six continents.  More information about the company may be found at www.cardinalhealth.com.



 

Except for historical information, all other information in this news release consists of forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended.  These forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected, anticipated or implied.  The most significant of these uncertainties are described in Cardinal Health's Form 10-K, Form 10-Q and Form 8-K reports (including all amendments to those reports) and exhibits to those reports, and include (but are not limited to) the following: competitive pressures in its various lines of business; the loss of one or more key customer or supplier relationships or changes to the terms of those relationships; changes in the distribution patterns or reimbursement rates for health-care products and/or services; the results, consequences, effects or timing of any inquiry or investigation by or settlement discussions with any regulatory authority or any legal and administrative proceedings, including shareholder litigation; difficulties in opening new facilities or fully utilizing existing capacity; the costs, difficulties and uncertainties related to the integration of acquired businesses; and general economic and market conditions.  Except to the extent required by applicable law, Cardinal Health undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statement.