MDS Automation

MDS Automation at AcornRx centres on two RxSafe systems built specifically for adherence packaging: RapidPakRx and RapidCardRx. Both use “smart” universal cartridges rather than pre-calibrated ones, which means a single set of cartridges can dispense a wide range of oral solid medications — gel caps, half tabs, new generics — without the pharmacy needing to recalibrate or stock separate cartridges per drug. As a result, changeover between medications is faster, and there’s less inventory tied up in duplicate cartridge sets.

RapidPakRx: strip and pouch packaging

RapidPakRx is built for adherence strip packaging, running 20, 30, or 40 universal cartridges at once. Because it dispenses without needing “pill-at-a-time” loading or manual tray filling, a full monthly medication cycle can be completed in a fraction of the time a manual process would take. Meanwhile, its built-in machine vision system verifies each pouch as it’s produced, so accuracy checking happens as part of the same pass rather than as a separate step afterward.

RapidCardRx: blister card packaging

RapidCardRx applies the same underlying technology to blister cards instead of pouches, and it’s configurable to fill any card format — single-med or multi-med. Since verification happens at multiple stages of the fill process rather than only at the end, errors are caught earlier, which matters particularly for pharmacies managing higher volumes of adherence packaging.

Why universal cartridges matter

Traditional adherence packaging systems typically need cartridges calibrated to a specific drug, so introducing a new medication often means buying and fitting new cartridges. Universal cartridges remove that constraint: because they aren’t tied to a specific drug, the same set can be reused across a much wider range of medications, which in turn reduces both the upfront hardware cost and the ongoing admin of managing cartridge inventory.

Where MDS automation fits in your pharmacy

If your pharmacy is also considering Ward Cabinet or CD Cabinet storage alongside adherence packaging, MDS Automation is designed to fit into that wider dispensing workflow rather than operate as a standalone system. AcornRX’s other systems include Scriptlife for prescription management and MedLocker for 24/7 prescription collection.

New to automated MDS? Our guide on how MDS automation can make pharmacy more efficient covers pouch versus blister card, universal cartridges and how the machines fit into the wider workflow.

Learn more

For full technical specifications on the underlying RapidPakRx and RapidCardRx systems, see RxSafe’s official product information.