B. Braun's Central Admixture Pharmacy Services (CAPS®)
Now Available to Northern California Hospitals
to Help Reduce Medication Errors
High-Quality IV Admixture Services Also Reduce Waste and
Enable Cost-Effective Use of Staff and Resources
Bethlehem, PA (August 5, 2003) – B. Braun Medical Inc. today announced that its Central Admixture Pharmacy Services (CAPS) has opened a new pharmacy in Northern California to service local hospitals and alternate care facilities. CAPS Northern California will provide high-quality IV admixture services to minimize the potential for medication errors, reduce drug and IV solution waste, and enable more cost-effective use of pharmacy staff and resources.
“This new CAPS pharmacy will be a valuable resource for area pharmacists,” said John Grubbs, Director of Pharmacy for a major Northern California teaching hospital. “While Director of Pharmacy at University of Colorado, I was able to utilize the CAPS Denver pharmacy to prepare my IV admixtures. Through the use of CAPS services, our pharmacy staff was able to spend their valuable time on clinical practice, rather than compounding TPNs. Now that I have relocated to Sacramento, California, I am very pleased to have the opportunity to continue my relationship with CAPS.”
IV admixing is a high-risk, labor-intensive process. A recent study of compounding IV admixtures, conducted across five hospitals, found 9 out of every 100 IV doses mixed in the hospital pharmacy contained at least one error, posing a substantial risk to patients.1 As pharmacists face the challenges of labor shortages, medication errors and liability, there is a need for a safe, reliable, cost-effective IV admixture service that enables pharmacists to focus on patient care.
Through the use of CAPS IV admixture services, hospital and alternate care pharmacists can focus on clinical responsibilities while delivering safe, high-quality IV solutions to their patients. CAPS adheres to strict quality assurance standards developed in compliance with FDA and state regulations, pharmaceutical industry standards, and ASHP guidelines for Risk Level III compounding, to help minimize the potential for medication errors. CAPS can also reduce drug and IV solution waste since hospitals and alternate care facilities pay only for prescribed doses.
“Pharmacists play an important role in patient care. In this current environment of staff shortages and reduced budgets, Central Admixture Pharmacy Services enables pharmacists to enhance patient safety while saving time and resources,” said Eric Steen, President of CAPS. “We are very pleased to announce the opening of our latest CAPS pharmacy, and look forward to our new partnerships with Northern California pharmacists.”
CAPS Northern California, the sixteenth CAPS pharmacy in the United States, is located in Fremont, CA and will service greater San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, and Sacramento. This state-licensed, FDA-registered pharmacy will operate 365 days a year to admix, dispense and deliver labeled, patient specific and anticipatory IV prescriptions to area hospitals and alternate care facilities.
About B. Braun
With more than 28,000 employees worldwide, B. Braun is a full line supplier of innovative healthcare products & programs designed to improve both patient and clinician safety. Through its People, Products, and Programs - "Working Together for Excellence in Safety™" initiative, B. Braun promotes best practices and products for continuous improvement of safety.
Founded 160 years ago, B. Braun is proud of its longstanding tradition and commitment to delivering innovative healthcare products and programs with unmatched quality, superior technology, and cost-effectiveness, while maintaining environmental responsibility. For more information about B. Braun or its safety healthcare products, call 800-854-6851, or visit B. Braun at www.bbraunusa.com. For more information about CAPS, visit www.capspharmacy.com.
About Central Admixture Pharmacy Services (CAPS)
Founded in 1991, Central Admixture Pharmacy Services (CAPS) is a network of state-licensed, FDA-registered pharmacies providing service to over 500 hospitals and home care customers. From its nationwide locations, CAPS pharmacies operate 365 days a year to admix, dispense, and deliver labeled, patient specific, and anticipatory IV prescriptions. CAPS is a registered trademark of Central Admixture Pharmacy Services, Inc. CAPS is a subsidiary of B. Braun Medical Inc.
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