Robotic automation has potential to offset healthcare workforce shortages
COLUMBUS, OH / ACCESSWIRE / June 29, 2023 / Opio, a technology startup equipping Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) with robotic automation to relieve the stress of the nursing shortage, is one step closer to launching ZING®, the first-ever robotic methadone dose assembly system. Opio has initiated closed beta testing with CompDrug, one of the largest nonprofit OTPs in Ohio, and is on schedule to launch ZING later this year. CompDrug is uniquely situated to be the first OTP beta test site because of its size, expertise, and dynamic staff.
ZING is fully integrated with Netalytics' Methasoft Treatment Management System, the industry-leading electronic medical record (EMR) solution for OTPs. Methasoft drives ZING to assemble doses, and Methasoft also performs and maintains all inventory tracking, record keeping, and reporting. ZING assembles bottles of liquid methadone doses, facilitating the bottle placement for pumping, capping, and labeling with speed and accuracy. At maximum work capacity, ZING can assemble 400 doses per hour, allowing nurses to focus on patient care, clinical tasks, and verifying doses prior to dispensing them directly to the patient, as required by federal law.
ZING Takes the Pressure off Nurses and Clinical Staff
In a 2023 survey, 94 percent of registered nurses reported severe or moderate staffing shortages in their area.1 The nursing shortage is anticipated to get worse, as more than 40 percent of nurses with more than 10 years of experience intend to leave the profession by 2027, citing stress, burnout, and retirement as the driving factors.2
By streamlining dosing workflow, ZING relieves nurses and other healthcare professionals of much of the time pressure and physical strain associated with pumping methadone and capping bottles, which is especially important amid high nursing turnover rates. A one-minute video showing ZING in action at CompDrug is available here.
The Vital Role of Opioid Treatment Programs
Opioid-involved poisonings killed 79,731 Americans in the 12 months ending January 2023.3 More than 90 percent of these deaths involved synthetic opioids, such as illicit fentanyl.4 OTPs offer patients all three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder, as well as monitoring, counseling, and other supportive services.
"OTPs are a vital, yet often misunderstood, sector of healthcare," said Opio Founder and CEO Amber Norbeck, Pharm.D. "There has been a great need for technology to help OTPs increase capacity and expand patient access to their life-saving care. Robotic technologies have been used throughout hospitals and pharmacies for decades, yet automated solutions for OTPs remained nonexistent until now."
Beta Testing
The beta testing phase for ZING represents a significant milestone for Opio and Netalytics, as it caps extensive research and development efforts spanning two years.
"We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with Opio on the ZING project," said Mark Essex, CEO of Netalytics. "With the tremendous importance of OTP clinics, and the need for efficient ways to treat patients, ZING allows providers to focus more attention on patient care and not spend all their time preparing medication."
The beta phase of testing is intended to elicit feedback from CompDrug and its clinical personnel to optimize ZING and the overall nurse experience.
CompDrug CEO Dustin Mets stated, "ZING allows our nurses to focus on patients while ZING focuses on dose assembly. The result is a patient experience that is both more efficient and, at the same time, more patient centered." Mr. Mets further explained, "It's not just that patients are receiving better care in less time; our nurses didn't become nurses to line up bottles and screw on caps. Helping other human beings is the reason they became nurses, and ZING lets them do that."
There will be a total of four ZING beta-testing sites; three additional OTPs will be performing closed beta-testing over the next several months in Baltimore, MD; Louisville, KY; and San Diego, CA.
1AMN Healthcare, 2023 AMN Healthcare Survey of Registered Nurses (May 1, 2023), https://www.amnhealthcare.com/amn-insights/nursing/surveys/2023/.
2Brendan Martin et al., Examining the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Burnout and Stress Among U.S. Nurses, 14 Journal of Nursing Regulation 4, 10 (2023).
3Ctr. Disease Control & Prevention, Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts (Jun. 4, 2023), https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm.
4Ctr. Disease Control & Prevention, Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts (Jun. 4, 2023), https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm.
About Opio
Opio creates transformative technology that empowers Opioid Treatment Programs to optimize efficiency and expand access to their life-saving care. ZING by Opio enables nurses to focus on patient care while ZING assembles methadone take-home doses with speed and accuracy. For more information on ZING, visit zingrobot.com, and view our video of ZING in action.
About Netalytics
Netalytics, a software company based in Greer, South Carolina, is a leading provider of EMR and practice management solutions to the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment market, with a particular focus on serving Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) providers. Netalytics' software suite (including Methasoft, Smart2K, OBOT360, and DUI360) is the clear market leader in terms of functionality, breadth, depth, and customer service / support, running in over 1100 Opioid Treatment Programs today. Netalytics is committed to improving patient care through technology and innovation. For more information on Netalytics, visit netalytics.com.
About CompDrug
CompDrug is a nonprofit behavioral health organization and Opioid Treatment Provider (OTP) based in Columbus, Ohio. Offering multiple levels of outpatient treatment for Substance Use and Mental Health disorders, Medications for Opioid Use Disorder are integrated into care when medically appropriate. CompDrug has demonstrated leadership in the field for over 40 years, championing a comprehensive, evidence-based, trauma-informed approach to treatment. For more information on CompDrug, visit compdrug.org.
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SOURCE: Opio Connect, Inc.
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