NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst announced the acquisition of the Parata Max 2 High-Speed, Vial Filling Robot Friday. This new machine will improve pharmacy workflow and can fill more than 266,000 prescriptions a year.
“NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is truly excited to acquire the Parata system and more efficient methods of filling prescriptions in our busy outpatient pharmacy,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst CEO Helen Arteaga Landaverde, MPH. “Acquiring this new pharmacy robot emphasizes our commitment to providing the highest-quality care to our patients as well as our continuing efforts to embrace advanced technology so that our community has the care it needs and deserves.”
This new machine will replace an outdated pharmacy system. Purchased for $175,000, the Parata Max 2 High-Speed, Vial Filling Robot is designed to improve safety, accuracy and efficiency in disbursing medications through better technology and automation.
“The Parata system uses state-of-the-art technology that allows us to fill patient prescriptions using enhanced security measures as well as a more streamlined system for labeling, counting, dispensing, capping and sorting medications,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst Director of Pharmacy Peter Barber, Pharm.D., R.Ph. “In addition, the new machine takes up half the space of our old pharmacy robot, which will enhance the workflow experience for our pharmacy department team members.”
As part of the NYC Health + Hospitals healthcare system, NYC Health + Hospitals/Elmhurst is the major tertiary care provider in Queens. The 545-bed hospital acts as a Level 1 trauma center, an emergency heart care station and a 911-receiving hospital. Its specialties include surgery, cardiology, women’s health, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, renal services and mental health services. The hospital received nearly 700,000 ambulatory care visits and over 130,000 emergency room visits in 2022. It has been nationally ranked by “U.S. News and World Report” in key areas, including heart failure, kidney failure, orthopedics, pneumonia and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal healthcare system in the United States, serving over 1 million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers act as anchors for care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency and MetroPlus health plan — all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 43,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New York City residents to live the healthiest life possible.
