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ITOKI CORPORATION (Head office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President: Koji Minato) has jointly developed with Medical Fields Corporation (Head office: Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture; President: Yuya Hatada) the Drug Automatic Picking system with MediMonitor, which combines a device that can automatically store and retrieve drugs with an audit support system. The system will be available for sale from April 2025.
In addition, prior to the launch, the company will exhibit the actual machine at the corporate exhibition held in conjunction with the 18th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pharmacy, to be held at Pacifico Yokohama (Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture) on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd, 2024.

・Preventing errors in drug picking and resolving the shortage of pharmacists in rural areas
The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare issued the "PSE General Notification No. 0402 No. 1 (commonly known as 0402 Notification)" (Note 1) in 2019, which allows people other than pharmacists to prepare the required amount of medicine listed on a prescription and check the quantity of medicine in a package under certain conditions. However, there are approximately 13,000 types of prescription drugs (prescription drugs) (as of October 2024) (Note 2), and there is a risk of error in the task of picking medicines from among the many items.

In addition, while the number of pharmacists working in pharmacies and medical facilities is increasing year by year and now stands at more than 250,000, the labor shortage of pharmacists is becoming more serious in some regions. The number of pharmacists per 100,000 people by prefecture is high in Tokushima Prefecture (244.0 people), Hyogo Prefecture (236.6 people), and Tokyo (235.7 people), while it is low in Okinawa Prefecture (149.4 people), Fukui Prefecture (163.6 people), and Aomori Prefecture (167.2 people), with a difference of more than 1.6 times between Tokushima Prefecture and Okinawa Prefecture. (As of December 31, 2022) (Note 3)

The newly developed automated drug picking system for dispensing pharmacies, "DAP with MediMonitor," is an automated picking system that uses small robots to store and retrieve drug trays. By automating storage and retrieval and providing an advanced audit support system, the system integrates "drug picking" and "audit support functions" in dispensing pharmacies, helping to prevent errors in drug picking operations and resolving the shortage of pharmacists.

- A product that pursues both "space saving" and "ease of use" for workers, making it easy to install even in limited spaces
The loading/unloading gates and working space are contained within the size of the device body, realizing high space saving. It can be installed in a limited space without sacrificing the processing speed and workability of loading/unloading. With eight loading/unloading gates, it is possible to pick the next drug without waiting for the worker to complete their work. In addition, ease of use has been considered by improving the identification and visibility of the processing status of each loading/unloading gate.

・AI learning function optimizes placement of medicine trays inside the warehouse
The automated drug picking system "DAP with MediMonitor" is equipped with an AI learning function that optimizes the placement of drug trays in the warehouse based on performance data over a certain period of time. By automatically relocating frequently used drugs closer to the entrance and exit, smoother processing is achieved.

- Equipped with an advanced prescription inspection support system, the intuitive operability supports accurate and smooth drug picking operations
It is equipped with an audit support system from Medical Fields Co., Ltd., which was created under the supervision of a pharmacist with extensive field experience. It is composed of a system that proactively utilizes the latest technology while also incorporating legacy technology that is familiar to a wide range of users. It is intuitively operable using a tablet, and can be used with confidence by inexperienced users and those who are not good with machines, supporting accurate and smooth drug picking operations.

By simply inputting data into the receipt computer (※), the corresponding drug tray is automatically transported and can be removed from the loading/unloading gate. Eight loading/unloading gates are provided, allowing simultaneous inspection of multiple drugs.

*Receipt computer (receipt computer): A system or software that automatically creates medical fee statements (receipts)

We will be exhibiting at the 18th Annual Meeting of the Japanese Society of Pharmacy, held on Saturday, November 2nd and Sunday, November 3rd, 2024. We will be exhibiting our automated drug picking system for dispensing pharmacies, and visitors will be able to try it out for themselves.

*Note 1 Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agency, Pharmaceutical Affairs and Food Safety Bureau, Notification No. 0402-1
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/content/000498352.pdf
*Note 2: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare: List of Drug Price Listings and Information on Generic Drugs
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/topics/2024/04/tp20240401-01.html
*Note 3: Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, 2022 Statistics on Doctors, Dentists and Pharmacists
https://www.mhlw.go.jp/toukei/saikin/hw/ishi/22/index.html