Aethon Inc., a leader in affordable autonomous mobile robots for healthcare supply chain management, announced today that 2007 marked a significant expansion in deployments of the Aethon asset utilization system into new hospital accounts as well as the establishment of national coverage for the company sales force into every major U.S. market. In 2007, Aethon also introduced several new products and applications and was the recipient of both regional and national awards.
The results reflect the success of the Aethon asset utilization system in streamlining hospital supply chain operations so that nurses and clinical staff avoid making supply runs and remain focused on patient care. The Aethon TUG™ autonomous mobile robot is the most commercially successful automated courier system. The TUG is used for delivery applications such as: central supply, dietary, pharmacy, laboratory, medical records, nursing and linens.
“Over the past 12 months, Aethon has seen dramatic growth and sales have more than doubled,” said Aldo Zini, CEO, Aethon. “In response to existing and growing hospital demand, we have introduced dedicated products for specific hospital applications, such as pharmacy, materials management and our RFID-based asset tracking system. We expect, in the year to come, that Aethon will continue to collaborate with its hospital customers to help them improve their overall supply chain management and reduce costs.”
100+ Hospitals Deploy Aethon TUG
In 2007, the Aethon TUG became synonymous with efficient hospital asset management, as Aethon introduced its autonomous mobile robotics system into new hospitals while increasing the number of TUGs deployed by existing hospital customers. Aethon was particularly successful in bringing new Veterans Association (VA) hospitals onboard. Overall, the Aethon TUG is installed in a dozen VA hospitals across the country. By assigning pharmacy, laboratory and materials management tasks to the TUGs, these VA hospitals are freeing up nursing staff to spend more time with the people who need them most, veterans.
Expanded Sales Force
At the company’s Pittsburgh headquarters, Aethon’s business strategy is reflected in its plans to attract and hire additional staff to support its aggressive growth. The company has recruited several new sales reps and now has sales offices in every major market across the country. Overall staff is expected to exceed 130 by the first quarter of 2008.
Dedicated Applications Meet Customer Demand
In early February, Aethon introduced HOMER™, a second autonomous mobile robot which, when combined with TUG, presents an asset utilization solution designed to locate, deliver and recover hospital equipment. This summer, FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital in Pinehurst, North Carolina, successfully implemented the combined HOMER/TUG system as the key component in its material handling re-engineering effort. Moore Regional was able to rapidly implement Aethon’s asset utilization solution within a five-month period without expansion to, or impact on, its existing LAN or wireless network.
This year Aethon also introduced a dedicated Pharmacy Cart, a smaller, nimbler and highly secure TUG product specifically designed for hospital pharmacy use. The average Pharmacy Cart makes approximately 15 trips a day to and from the pharmacy, serving as many as six nursing station destinations per hour. The cart keeps unit-based pharmacy cabinets stocked and has electronic locks to ensure secure deliveries.
A second customized TUG, modeled after the title character in the children’s book “The Little Engine that Could,” was donated by Aethon to UCSF Children’s Hospital through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. The company is now marketing the train-themed delivery robot to children’s hospitals around the country and donates a portion of the proceeds to Make-A-Wish for each robot installed.
Awards
In October 2007, Aethon received a grand prize in the Operational Excellence category from Cisco’s Growing with Technology Awards 2007. Aethon was honored for its innovative use of networking technology to redefine hospital supply chain logistics.
In addition, the Pittsburgh Technology Council recognized Aethon as one of the region's 50 leading technology-oriented companies, including Aethon in its annual Technology 50 awards. Aethon received honors in the Advanced Manufacturing category for its use of robotics to redefine hospital supply chain logistics, as well as for sales growth, financial strength, corporate citizenship and job development.
About Aethon
Based in Pittsburgh, Pa., Aethon is a leader in affordable, autonomous mobile robots for practical business applications. In healthcare, the company’s automated technology platform is redefining hospital supply chain logistics by automating the location, delivery and recovery of key assets. The net result of Aethon’s low-cost, easy-to-install, RFID-based asset utilization solution is improved caregiver efficiency and satisfaction, increased asset utilization, decreased equipment rentals, increased patient safety and satisfaction, and improved regulatory compliance. More than 100 hospitals nationwide have deployed Aethon’s robots. Aethon is a privately held, venture-backed company. It has raised $22.5 million from Innovation Works, Draper Triangle Ventures, Salix Ventures, Ascension Health Ventures and Pacific Venture Group, among others. For more information, visit www.aethon.com.