How IV Robotics Are Transforming Sterile Compounding, Supply Chain Control, and Workforce Efficiency

At the 2025 American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) Midyear Clinical Meeting & Exhibition, Pharmacy Times met with Lani Bertrand, RPh, senior director of clinical marketing and thought leadership at Omnicell, to discuss how IV compounding robotics are helping health systems mitigate drug shortages, enhance safety, and reduce reliance on costly 503B outsourcing. Automation allows pharmacy teams to reallocate technician time toward higher-value tasks while improving consistency and efficiency in sterile compounding. Bertrand noted that broader adoption is slowed by regulatory uncertainty and the need for State Boards of Pharmacy to become more familiar with the technology. Looking ahead, advocacy efforts and the Safer Compounding in Hospitals Act aim to support wider use of IV robotics to strengthen patient safety and supply chain resilience.

Pharmacy Times: As IV compounding robotics gain traction, how are hospitals using them to reduce drug waste and lower overall costs?

Lani Bertrand: This is an area where technology is underutilized, but we're starting to see an uptick as hospitals look to insulate or mitigate drug shortages, provide more independence and control over the drug supply chain, and improve safety. If we want to remove as much risk and error out of the equation, we must look to robotics and automation. We can also look at throughput and efficiencies. With workforce challenges, there is a shortage of pharmacy technicians who we rely upon to do sterile compounding. So if we can bring about efficiencies, make their job easier, and also bring some level of job satisfaction and reduce repetitive stress injuries, that comes through the implementation of automation.

Pharmacy Times: With robotics enabling more ready-to-administer medication preparation, what financial or operational benefits are you seeing for health-system pharmacies?

Lani Bertrand: When health systems adopt IV automation and related technology, it puts them in a position to control sourcing, better manage their inventory, and rely less upon 503B outsourcing, which can bring added expense. It also allows them to control the production of items often found on the drug shortage list. That brings them greater control over the supply chain.

Pharmacy Times: How is automation improving compounding efficiency and allowing pharmacy staff to shift toward higher-value clinical work?

Lani Bertrand: If we can take manual tasks and rely upon automation, we can dedicate technician time to additional tasks that occur within the clean room environment or as part of the sterile preparation process. We can't eliminate everything, but again, it's a complementary utilization of technology with the workforce.

Pharmacy Times: Looking ahead, what role do you expect robotics to play in the future of sterile compounding and hospital pharmacy operations?

Lani Bertrand: The ideal state would be greater adoption, although it has been slow. There are headwinds that get in the way at times, such as acceptance among State Boards of Pharmacy and understanding where this technology fits in. We are helping our customers navigate that, and some of it is simply because it's new and less familiar. In health care, especially pharmacy, we want to ensure we are doing our due diligence. There is an appetite for risk, but also a need to take calculated risks with patient safety at the forefront. For pharmacy leaders who want to advance the autonomous pharmacy journey, adoption of robotics in IV sterile compounding is necessary to achieve a greater level of an autonomous medication management system.

Pharmacy Times: Is there anything you would like to add?

Lani Bertrand: When we look at the adoption of complex technology in the pharmacy medication management space, it's very challenging. It is difficult for pharmacy leaders to make these big decisions and investments that have far-reaching impact on how their drug inventory is managed, especially at a time when drug costs are rising incrementally every year. They are facing workforce challenges, not only in pharmacy but in nursing as well, and are trying to make a multi-year strategic plan and investment for how they want to manage their pharmacy enterprise.

The area of IV robotics and sterile compounding is challenging for the reasons I mentioned—gaining buy-in, ensuring alignment with State Board of Pharmacy regulations, and being a pioneer. A big part of what Omnicell does to support and be a strong partner is advocacy work. We do advocacy within professional organizations, and while we are here at the ASHP Midyear meeting, we also work with an external agency for public policy advocacy. We are working to advance the Safer Compounding in Hospitals Act, which would encourage and drive adoption of IV technology. We are also doing advocacy and education with State Boards of Pharmacy to help them understand how this technology is making a difference and what it means for patient safety, supply chain integrity, and more.