St. Louis area hospitals acquire critical tool for disaster response
November 7, 2006 (Kansas City, MO) - NexGenisys, LLC announced today that the St. Louis Area Regional Response System (STARRS) has contracted to provide the NexGenisys MEDS|POD and MEDS|Inventory system to its healthcare facilities, signifying a leap forward in regional efforts to protect against the deadly effects of a bio-terror attack, pandemic event, or other widespread healthcare crisis. STARRS member hospitals will utilize the MEDS|POD system to facilitate the safe mass dispensing of medications to employee populations and possibly employee family members during disasters which require pharmacological intervention. The initial rollout will include 35 hospitals, with funding expected for an additional 11 in the coming months.
"MEDS|POD gives hospitals a tool that allows them to rapidly mobilize internal dispensing sites and medicate their patients, staff, and families during a time of need," stated Nick Gragnani, Executive Director of STARRS. Mr. Gragnani went on to say that MEDS|POD is "a powerful software package that works on multiple platforms which is important when coordinating with 46 different hospitals throughout the St. Louis region."
BJC Healthcare Director of Emergency Preparedness, Debbie Mays, agreed, adding that MEDS|POD "significantly reduces the amount of time required to register patients while ensuring a quality process is in place for distribution of medication. The use of the MEDS|POD system allows us to utilize a more flexible staffing model which is a critical element of our disaster preparedness plan."
"It is gratifying to have yet another regional adoption of the MEDS|POD mass dispensing system," stated NexGenisys CEO Russell Andrews. "This is further validation that hospitals recognize the need for systems to protect their employees as part of their business continuity plan."
About NexGenisys
NexGenisys is a leading provider of disaster response and recovery systems for healthcare, business, and the public health sector.
NexGenisys solutions include software and consulting services which help to mitigate the effects of man-made or natural disasters on any population of individuals, whether they be a large community, or a group of employees. www.nexgenisys.com
About STARRS
The St. Louis Area Regional Response System (STARRS) operates as an initiative of the East-West Gateway Council of Governments. STARRS is a regional organization developed to coordinate the planning and response of large-scale critical incidents in the bi-state ( Missouri and Illinois ) metropolitan region. STARRS' mission is to help local governments, businesses, and citizens plan for, protect against, and recover from critical incidents in the St. Louis region. www.stl-starrs.org
For more information, email sales@nexgenisys.com
