First Drug Wholesaler, H.D. Smith, to Implement Matrics’ EPC RFID System
H.D. Smith Wholesale Drug Company, the seventh largest pharmaceutical wholesaler, and Matrics Inc., a global leader in the design and manufacture of EPC-compliant Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) systems, today announced that H.D. Smith is the first wholesaler to install an EPC RFID system to track controlled substance pharmaceuticals in their distribution center.
According to Liz Churchill, Director of Life Sciences Solutions at Matrics, “Matrics’ one-inch, square tag design is small enough to fit on pharmaceutical bottles and packages, which enables the pharmaceutical market to take full advantage of Matrics’ RFID system. We are extremely pleased to have been selected by H.D. Smith as their EPC RFID provider. H.D. Smith is truly a pioneer in integrating RFID into the pharmaceutical supply chain. This innovation will serve as a model for others in the industry.”
In the second phase of H.D. Smith’s implementation, a retail unit in the Springfield, IL, area will receive the tagged items, adding another point to the electronic pedigree. EPC tagged items are bulk units for pharmacy use only, with the pharmacist filling orders from these units so no EPC tags will be on consumer products.
“The rapid adoption of RFID technology in the healthcare market is a major strategic initiative for HDMA and its members,” said Lisa Clowers, Vice President of Supply Chain Processes & Technology at the Healthcare Distribution Management Association (HDMA). “By becoming an early adopter of this technology, H.D. Smith has taken a real leadership role in their service area.”
Matrics teamed with Franwell, Inc. as the equipment integrator. Franwell not only installed the Matrics RFID system, but also utilized an innovative Edgeware(TM) platform from GlobeRanger, to accelerate application development. The application deployed includes shipping and receiving processes, reporting functionality and an initial user interface that enabled H.D. Smith to focus on the internal system data integration and operating procedures.