Health Robotics' i.v.STATION Robot Proven to be Almost Four Times Faster Than Intelligent Hospital Systems' RIVA

BOZEN, SUD-TIROL, Italy, March 1, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Health Robotics today announced the public evaluation of video speed tests between i.v.STATION and RIVA sterile compounding robots, based on each companies' public video testimonials at their respective web sites of an identical powder reconstitution (80 ml) and size/dose of syringe (10cc). Founded on this side-by-side comparison and other publicly available information, it is now evident that i.v.STATION is 3.8 times faster than RIVA. When additionally factoring in RIVA's fiveA times higher price, i.v.STATION is 20 times less expensive than RIVA on a per-dose basis.

"While we still have room for improvement, I'm happy with i.v. STATION's throughput results in Europe and now in America, especially considering RIVA's 15+ year head-start. Although i.v.STATION's revolutionary design received accolades globally, there was some skepticism about its throughput due to IHS' speculative claims about i.v.STATION's alleged slow speed, attributing it to its low cost and small size. There is now incontrovertible evidence that larger and more expensive is not faster, quite the contrary. Even at less than 20% of the cost and footprint of RIVA, i.v.STATION is almost 4 times faster, proven by its 2.5 minute filling of an identical I.V. Admixture stated by IHS to take RIVA 9.5 minutes to fill. IHS' baseless claims about i.v.STATION are now proven to be as much hype as their own decades-oldB statements about RIVA being able to compound chemotherapy: many sales announcements with nameless chemo customers, but not a single hospital pharmacy in the world actually using RIVA for chemo", stated Werner Rainer, Health Robotics' CEO.

The difference in throughput is not due to the speed of the robotic arms, as these settings are mostly irrelevant. The 7 minutes' speed gap between the 2 robots is due to IHS' old engineering design choices that make the RIVA robot move back and forth performing a myriad of unnecessary tasks to multiple locations, for instance not needed on i.v.STATION due to its smart carrousels with integrated bar-code and digital imaging features. The only differences in the use of IV consumables in these otherwise matching video testimonials are: a) that RIVA spends time throwing away (wasting) a half-full diluent's IV bag and a wasted 60cc syringe [in contrast, no waste with i.v.STATION], and b) that i.v.STATION automatically caps the syringe with a tamper-evident cap [for security and safety reasons] while RIVA utilizes a plain Kendall cap that is easily subject to tampering. For this and other comparisons please visit: http://www.health-robotics.com/en/compare-products/

"Even though we still have a lot of work ahead of us in expanding to 40+ planned 2010 installations of i.v.STATION, we are now confident that we: a) have the right design, cost, and R.O.I./value proposition; b) possess the ability to expand the design concept, the ROI, and benefits to TPNs; and c) have changed the paradigm by asking hospital pharmacists why should they pay $1+ million for a RIVA robot that is 4 times slower, 5 times larger, 9 times heavier, and 5 times more expensive than i.v.STATION", concluded Mr. Rainer.

For the official IHS' testimonial of RIVA's 9.5 minutes powder reconstitution performance, please visit: http://www.intelligenthospitals.com/media/recon/recon.htm. In the event that IHS withdraws or changes the above web link based on these grossly unfavorable results shared through this press release, please email us at: [email protected], and we should be able to direct you to an alternate web link so you can witness the video testimonial as originally and publicly released by IHS. To view i.v.STATION's 2.5 minutes performance, please visit: http://www.health-robotics.com/en/solutions/i-v-station/

About Health Robotics:

Health Robotics is the undisputed global leading supplier of life-critical intra-venous medication robots, providing healthcare facilities in 5 continents with robotics technology and software automation solutions. Its world-leading solutions CytoCare(TM) [hazardous IVs], i.v.STATION(TM) [non-hazardous IVs], i.v.SOFT(TM) [workflow engine for manual compounding, powered by MEDarchiver], and TPNstation(TM) [totally-automated parenteral nutrition] have and will greatly contribute to ease hospitals' growing pressures to improve patient safety, increase throughput and contain costs. Through the effective and efficient production of sterile, accurate, tamper-evident and ready-to-administer IVs, Health Robotics' solutions help hospitals eliminate life-threatening drug-exchange errors, decrease other therapy oversights and sterility risks, work more efficiently, reduce waste and controlled substances' diversion, and diminish the gap between rising patient volume/acuity and scarce nursing and pharmacy staff. For more information, please visit http://www.health-robotics.com

A Winnipeg TV Interview with IHS' CEO stating 11 installs of RIVA in 2008 and 30 installs in 2009 (RIVA's real cumulative total achieved by 2010= 3 units) and $1M price.

    B Am J Hosp Pharm 46(11): 2286-93 1989

    For additional information, please contact:
    Health Robotics S.r.l.
    Gaspar G. DeViedma,
    Executive V.P., General Counsel, and Member of the Board of Directors
    Italy: +39-346-963-4934
    USA: +1-609-980-7976
    Canada: +1-289-470-1456
    Malaysia: +60-321-848-223
    [email protected]

SOURCE Health Robotics