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Omnicell set to showcase latest automation and
Omnicell set to showcase latest automation and intelligence solutions at Arab Health 2021
Omnicell Inc (NASDAQ:OMCL), a leading provider of medication and supply management solutions and adherence tools for healthcare systems and pharmacies, is set to unveil its latest robotic dispensing system – Medimat - to the Middle East pharmaceutical industry at this year’s Arab Health (21-24 June, 2021), Dubai World Trade Centre.
The next generation Medimat is the latest enhancement to Omnicell’s portfolio of technologies for central pharmacy workfows, helping to dramatically improve all aspects of the dispensing process. By simplifying the dispensing process and minimising the number of human interactions in the pharmacy workfow, Medimat’s new functionality will further reduce the potential for errors. For pharmacists in particular, a lack of inventory precision and control can result in large quantities of expired stock and signifcant monetary losses. Smarter and safer medication management technology is key to reducing the burden on healthcare teams, supporting them in providing the right medication, at the right dose, at the right time.
“Automation has become an integral part of any healthcare setting and we are committed to the continual development of our technologies in order to support the vital process of medication and supply management,” said Sara Dalmasso, International Vice President and General Manager for Omnicell International. “We are thrilled to be a part of such a well-respected and dedicated platform as Arab Health, which is
MEDIMAT TAKES CENTRE STAGE AS OMNICELL SHOWCASES PORTFOLIO OF CUTTING-EDGE TECHNOLOGY FOR CENTRAL PHARMACY.
recognised as the Middle East’s largest in-person healthcare event. It will provide an outstanding opportunity to introduce Medimat to healthcare professionals in the region, as well as showcase Omnicell’s other industry-leading solutions.
“Medimat will support the healthcare industry by improving efciency, driving savings, and freeing up staf from administrative and logistical tasks, such as unpacking medication, stock management and searching for medication. Crucially, it will enable pharmacists to spend more time on clinical work and building patient relationships.”
Additional benefts of Medimat include:
Pharmacists will know where the drug is within the robot and what quantities are available. Ability to track slow-moving items and eliminate wasted or out-of-date stock. Ability to generate a real-time report on stock usage, so manual stock counts are no longer needed, saving valuable time. Highly efective scan station means inputting of medication supports safety. Direct mode option enables users to have medication available for immediate dispensing. Input speed of up to 750 packs per hour* allows for more prescriptions to be processed with a higher level of accuracy
Omnicell will also be showcasing other key point-of-care solutions at this year’s event, including:
MedX – the only web-based, software solution for medication management and inventory in both open and closed stores. It allows complete visibility on all pharmaceutical stock holding areas and its data capture assists in reducing unnecessary spend and medication waste. This also includes OmniCD which eliminates the need for double processing, with the ability to fully automate a location by managing and ordering controlled drugs through automation cabinets while still maintaining legal compliance.
SupplyX – helping healthcare settings improve management and traceability of medical supplies. This solution simplifes and automates the inventory management process with a real-time web-based dashboard and reporting suite for materials’ managers.
Omnicell XT Medication and Supply Cabi-
nets – supports a safer and smarter process for getting the right medication to the right patient at the right time.
Omnicell Supply RFID cabinet – ideal for high-cost items, implantable devices and trauma trays. The system scans everything quickly, and records what has been taken, returned or restocked.
Omnicell technology has been supporting healthcare providers in the Middle East for 17 years, including King Faisal Specialist Hospital (KSA), National Guard Health Afairs (KSA) and Dubai Health Authority (UAE). The Company’s proven and streamlined range of solutions and services are designed to reduce medication dispensing errors, improve patient safety, drive efciency, and allow healthcare professionals to spend more time on face-to-face patient care.
Omnicell will be at Stand Number H4 C10 Arab Health 2021. To learn more, visit www.omnicell.com Sara Dalmasso
*based on Omnicell internal testing and validation
Pediatric Neuro-Oncologist at Nationwide Children’s Hospital Ralph Salloum, MD
Nationwide Children’s Hospital is one of the largest pediatric hospitals and research institutes in the United States. It is consistently ranked as one of America’s top 10 children’s hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, the recognized authority in United States hospital rankings. Ralph Salloum, MD, is a pediatric neuro-oncologist with clinical focus in adolescent and young adult oncology, and brain tumor survivorship. His research is focused on developmental therapeutics, early phase clinical trials and late efects of central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Hospitals magazine recently interviewed Dr. Salloum about Neuro-Oncology at Nationwide Children’s Hospital.
How are brain and spinal cord tumors different in children than adults?
Although they may look similar microscopically, CNS tumors in children and adults are quite diferent molecularly. Generally speaking, tumors in children are driven by diferent genetic and epigenetic changes and carry a lower mutational burden than those seen in adults. Some embryonal tumors are unique to young children, but rare cases have been reported in adults. Adults are also more likely to experience treatment-related tumors such as high-grade gliomas or meningiomas (from radiation exposure for example) and metastatic tumors to the brain from cancers originating outside of the CNS.
What physicians, staff and researchers make up a complete neuro-oncology team?
Given the complexity of the care of neuro-oncology patients, a complete team is truly interdisciplinary, one with the expertise of many diferent providers.
Neuro-oncologists work closely with neurosurgeons, radiation oncologists, neuropathologists and neuro-ophthalmologists. Neurology, endocrinology, genetics, palliative care and physical medicine and rehabilitation are also fundamental. Psycho-social care is also essential, which requires the expertise of psychologists and neuropsychologists, as well as social workers and even a liaison for the child’s school.
What are some of the latest advancements in pediatric neuro-oncology?
One of the major discoveries made in the feld is the role of the epigenome in tumorigenesis. The biological mechanisms that switch genes on and of have been found to be at the origin of more than one type of CNS tumor in pediatric patients. This is a precious tool that can be used to establish a diagnosis, refne the classifcation of a tumor and most importantly, provide targeted treatment.
What organizations are leading in research and discovery?
I think most academic U.S. and international institutions ofer something unique and valuable to pediatric neuro-oncology. The most important discoveries in the feld have been the fruit of international eforts and a refection of how the pediatric medical community is united and determined to fght CNS tumors, fnd cures and deliver them to our patients.
What does the future of pediatric neurooncology research and treatment look like at Nationwide Children’s Hospital?
With the presence of expertise than spans bench and bedside care I think the future of pediatric neuro-oncology care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital is very bright. Recently, we have markedly expanded our clinical trial portfolio by becoming the operation center for CONNECT – an international consortium focused on developing and testing novel therapies in early phase clinical trials. We are also one of the 16 centers participating in the National Cancer Institute’s Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC), as well as the Pediatric Early Phase Clinical Trials Network (PEP-CTN). We continue to ofer numerous clinical trials through National Experimental Therapeutics (NEXT) Consortium, Pacifc Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) and Children's Oncology Group. We also continue to work closely with our own basic and translational scientists to develop new trials with innovative approaches, such as radioimmunotherapy and cell therapy.
At Nationwide Children’s Hospital, we are fortunate to have our own Institute for Genomic Medicine, which combines a robust clinical laboratory with genome scientists and clinical geneticists. Among the institute’s many capabilities is the ability to validate assays using the very latest technology, which allows us to further refne the classifcation and characterization of our CNS tumors.
To learn more about Nationwide Children’s Hospital and Dr. Salloum, visit Nationwide-
Childrens.org/Specialties/Neuro-Oncology
WITH THE PRESENCE OF EXPERTISE THAN SPANS BENCH AND BEDSIDE CARE I THINK THE FUTURE OF PEDIATRIC NEURO-ONCOLOGY CARE AT NATIONWIDE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL IS VERY BRIGHT. RECENTLY, WE HAVE MARKEDLY EXPANDED OUR CLINICAL TRIAL PORTFOLIO BY BECOMING THE OPERATION CENTER FOR CONNECT – AN INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM FOCUSED ON DEVELOPING AND TESTING NOVEL THERAPIES IN EARLY PHASE CLINICAL TRIALS.
A Rare and Successful Surgery Al-Ahli Hospital Eradicates a Giant Splenic Cyst
By Abdul-Azim Abdul-Wahab, Senior Consultant Surgeon & the Chief of the medical staff at Al-Ahli Hospital / Qatar
Al-Ahli Hospital recently performed a successful operation to remove a giant splenic cyst; a scarce and rare case in the feld of surgery.
Dr. Abdul-Azim Abdul-Wahab, a senior consultant surgeon and the chief of the medical staf at Al-Ahli Hospital, said that the 56-yearold patient went to a private hospital in Doha complaining from chronic pains in the back after experiencing severe pains. He explained that the patient also sufered from chronic hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism. He was taking drug on a regular basis for all these chronic diseases. Upon an abdominal C.T, it was found that he has a splenic cyst as large as 10 cm x 10 cm with a 9-cm left kidney cyst. He pointed out that the patient visited the urology clinic at Al-Ahli Hospital and was assessed in terms of the left renal cyst. He was given the necessary directions and advice regarding it. He was advised that it doesn't need a surgical intervention, as it is a simple renal cyst.
Accordingly, the patient was referred to the general surgery clinic at Al-Ahly Hospital where he was clinically assessed by Dr. Abdel-Azim Hussein who advised him to have a surgery for removing the splenic cyst due to its large size and the accompanying symptoms.
He noted that the reaction of parasitic cysts in the patient was found to be negative. Accordingly, the possibility that this cyst is a parasitic-origin splenic one was excluded. Thereafter, the patient received the necessary preventive vaccinations about 2-3 weeks before the splenic surgical intervention. Dr. Abdul Azim Hussain said "The patient was operated on 2 November 2020. It started with a laparoscopic surgery, where the investigation of the abdominal cavity showed a giant cyst (acromegalic), occupying most of the spleen tissue and large areas of the cyst wall were found severely calcifed causing severe adhesions to the neighboring organs, including the stomach, colon and diaphragm. Thus, a laparotomy was performed instead due to the inability to perform the excision by laparoscopic surgery because of the severe adhesions of the splenic cyst to the neighboring organs. The cyst was successfully isolated from the neighboring structures and was removed completely, along with the remainder of the relatively little splenic tissues". "The patient recovered well and quickly after the surgery, and was discharged from Al-Ahli Hospital on the third day in a good general condition with almost no complications".
He pointed out that the result of the autopsy showed that the splenic cyst is of the type of Giant Splenic Pseudocyst. The existence of this type of giant splenic cysts are scarce and rare SPLENIC CYSTS ARE CLASSIFIED INTO PARASITIC CYSTS AND NON-PARASITIC CYSTS, WHILE NON-PARASITIC SPLENIC CYSTS ARE CLASSIFIED INTO PSEUDOCYSTS AND TRUE CYSTS. TRUE SPLENIC CYSTS ARE THOSE CONTAINING AN EPITHELIAL LINING (SUPERFICIAL EPITHELIUM.
and, scientifcally speaking, splenic cysts are a very rare clinical case that occurs in about 0.07% of the total population.
He explained that patients with splenic cysts, in general, do not show any specifc clinical symptoms, and that these cysts are often accidently discovered during the radiological examination. Ultrasound, CT and magnetic resonance imaging can be used for the initial diagnosis. Splenic cysts are classifed into parasitic cysts and non-parasitic cysts, while non-parasitic splenic cysts are classifed into pseudocysts and true cysts. True splenic cysts are those containing an epithelial lining (superfcial epithelium). Pseudocysts do not contain epithelial lining (superfcial epithelium) and are usually formed after trauma, infammation, or partial splenic infarction.
Splenic pseudocysts are very rare. They are found in less than 1% of splenectomies performed. However, pseudocysts in the spleen are four times more common than true cysts. In 1829, Andral described the frst non-parasitic cyst in the spleen. In 1978, Robbins reported a series of 42,327 autopsies over a 25-year period, which revealed only 32 patients with splenic cysts, In 1953, Fowler published a collective review to include 265 cases of non-parasitic splenic cysts.2 Until 1978, nearly 600 surgical and cyst autopsy cases were reported in the global literature. It is important to distinguish between splenic pseudocysts and other benign and malignant splenic cysts, including parasitic hydrocysts, in order to follow the appropriate course of treatment. Typically, splenic pseudocysts show no symptoms and rarely grow to a large size and only require treatment when they become symptomatic. Typically, only large cysts are symptomatic, and they are surgically treated by removing the spleen. They only require surgery when symptoms appear and, in such cases, the chances of preserving the spleen are usually less. SPLENIC PSEUDOCYSTS ARE VERY RARE. THEY ARE FOUND IN LESS THAN 1% OF SPLENECTOMIES PERFORMED.
