2004-05-04

A Vending Machine for Clinicians?

Mobile Health Data - News Releases - May 4, 2004

May 4, 2004 - Toronto-based cStarTechnologies Inc. has released a vending machine that can be used to manage and dispense medical products using Wi-Fi technology. The e-Dispense system is the wireless communications technology vendor's first product marketed directly to health care organizations.

The vending machine can be stocked with medical equipment or products, such as medications or surgical instruments. Its compartmentalized temperature control settings also enable products that must be chilled or frozen to be stored in the same machine.

Clinicians can select and dispense products from the machine using a personal swipe card. The system enables the swipe cards to be embedded with role-based authorization features to control the products dispensed to each caregiver.

The vending machine connects to the vendor's e-Dispense software via a Wi-Fi network to transfer data about dispensed products. Such data includes the type of product dispensed and who dispensed it. The software then uses the data to manage an organization's overall inventory. The software also can transmit such information to suppliers.