Free Letter - District Court of Delaware - Delaware

Case 1:06-cv-00028-SLR-LPS Document 109 Filed 04/24/2007 Page 1 of 2
BLANK E ROA/\Errr
counsrrons AT mw
P/miie: (302) 425-6467
Frrx: (302) 428-5108
Emriii: Dn·[email protected]:r
April 24, 2007
BY CM/ECF and HAND DELIVERY
The Honorable Mary Pat Thynge
U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
844 King Street
Wilmington, DE 19801
Re: McKesson Automation, Inc. v. Swissiog Italia S. p.A. et ui.;
CA. No. 06—028—l\/IPT
Your Honor:
Enclosed please tind a copy of the 1988 Pittsburgh Business Times article that should
have been attached to McKesson’s letter response that was submitted yesterday in opposition to
the defendants motion to compel (Di. 108).
We apologize for thc inconvenience.
Respectfully submitted,
Dale R. Dube
N0. 2863
- -
Blair M. Jacobs
SUTHERLAND ASBILL & BRENNAN LLP
1275 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20004
DRD:dal
Enclosure
Chase Manhattan Centre 1201 Market Street Suite 800 Wilmington, DE 19501
www.B|ankRome.com
Delaware • Florida • Newiersey • New York • Ohio • Pennsylvania • Washington, DC • Hong Kong

Case 1:06-cv-00028-SLR-LPS Document 109 Filed 04/24/2007 Page 2 of 2
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COLJNSELORS AT LAW
The Honorable Mary Pat Thynge
April 24, 2007
Page 2
Lawrence C. Drucker, Esquire (by email and Federal Express - overnight delivery)
Alfred R. F abrieant, Esquire (by email and Federal Express - overnight delivery)
Richard LaCava, Esquire (by email and Federal Express - overnight delivery)
Christina A. Ondriek, Esquire

Case 1 :06-cv-00028-SLR-LPS Document 109-2 Filed O4/24/2007 Page 1 of 2
Page 1
Copyright l988 UMI Inc.;
Copyright Pittsburgh Business Wcckiy Corp. 1988;
Business Datzlinng
Pittsbuxglu Business Times
June 13, 1988
SECTION: Vol 7; No 44; Sac 2; pg 7S
LENGTH: 659 words
I-IZEADLINE: Company Designs Robot for Hospital Phamuacics
BYLINE: Jam Bam ford
DATELINE: Pittsburgh; PA; US
BODY:
A hospital pharm acy may sccn an unlikely place for an industrial robot, but cnc young Pittsburgh company is betting
that an automaton will bc right at home in a medical cnvirormw cm.
Automated Healthcare Inc., a sum-up venture orchestrated by an cnginccr, a pharmacist and an medical doctor, has
created a robotic system that assists phamwacists in thc process of dispensing medication
According to company partners, thc Automated Phmmacy Station (APS) can rcducc operating expenses at large
hospital pharmacies as much as l0 percent while increasing thc cilicicncy of distributing medicine.
"Wc have not changed thc lcgal and professional requirements of thc pharm acist," said Philip Keys, director of
Automated Healthcare. "Instcad., wc have reduced thc num bcr of pharmacy technicians nc cdcd to dispense medication.
The pharmacist still interprets thc doctofs request, but thc robot will take ov cr from there and thcrcforc reduce human
crror."
According to Keys, who also serves as director of pharmaceutical services for Allegheny General Hospital, errors
occur in less than l percent of all dosages prepared by a hospital pharmacy. Checks by other hospital personnel usually
prevent Lhc mistake from bcing passed onto thc paticnt.
Scan McD0na1 d, Autnm gggg §gg|t|;care prcsidcm, said thc idea for forming thc cight—m omh-old company came in
pan from his engineering background and cxpcricncc in industrial automation. M
“Wc began to look at thc delivery of health care services in a somewhat dif`fcrcnt1igh1," McDonald said. "Without a
doubt, there arc other services within a hospital that can bc uutomatcd, but thc concept of automating thc phann acy looked
like the best first application of thc pmccssl"
McDonald, a funn ur cnginccring for Westinghouse Electric Corp. and Ford Motor Co., currently is "dc-bugging" thc
computer program that runs APS. The company recently began dcvclcping its first prototype and hopes to begin hospital
tcstmg this fall, according to McDonald.
An 8-foot-tall industrial robot, acquired from Westinghouse, acts as tho center of APS. The robot 'rcads* computer-
ized dosage requests and reaches into medication bins with a specially designed mechanical arm.
The robot is programmed to iill single dosc rcqucsts that are then carried via conveyor to await distribution to patients,
according to Keys.
The cost of APS is approximatcly S 250,000 which, according to Keys, is recoverable 1n a 400-bcd hospital within
two years. APS was primarily designed for laxgcr hospitals and iikcly would not bc oosbcffcctivc for a small health cars: `
facility.
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Case 1 :06-cv-00028-SLR-LPS Document 109-2 Filed 04/24/2007 Page 2 of 2
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Company Designs Robot for Hospital Pharmacies Pittsburgh Business Tim es
According to company projections, typical savings will range from S 70,000 a year for a 500-bed hospital to ap-
proximately S 150,000 for an 800-bed hospital, The savings constitutes about l0 percent ofthe pharmacy's personnel
budget.
"Hospitals, now more than ever, have need to cut operating costs while still supplying quality service" McDonald
said. "Through automation, APS provides the hospital with a means to increase efficiency at the same time it reduces
costs.”
Earlier this year, Automated Healthcare and the University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy jointly applied For an
S 88,000 Ben Franklin grant to finance testing of the prototype. litlieagrantis awarded, APS likely will be tested at
Presbyterian-Univ crsity Hospital.
Neither Pitt nor Allegheny General Hospital have equity positions with Automated Healthcare.
According to company estimates, it will cost approximately S 500,000 for Automated Healthcare to complete and
install its first APS system.
The company, which recently made a business-plan presentation at a luncheon sponsored by The Enterprise Corp. of
Pittsburgh, is seeking local inv cstors. The company also has been asked to participate in Pittsburgh's third Venture
Capital Fair later this month. Automated Healthcare is one of only a few start-up firms that will make presentations at
the fair.
UMI-ACC-N0: 8Sl627S
LOAD-DATE: October 13, 1995
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