TimeMed

TimeMed congratulates Partner, General Data Corporation on Manny Award from Cincinnati Business Magazine

CINCINNATI and BURR RIDGE, Ill. – June 2007 – General Data, a leading provider of specialized labeling and identification products, and partner to TimeMed labeling Systems, Inc. is honored with receipt of Manny Award for breakthrough product development of The StainerShield Laboratory Specimen & Identification & Error-Proofing Systems. As part of the partnership, TimeMed will integrate into its solutions offerings General Data’s healthcare identification solutions, including the PersonalID patient identification wristbands, and StainerShield, a patenpending bar code identification system designed for pre-stainer labeling of tissue and specimen slides. TimeMed has more than 45 years of labeling expertise in the healthcare industry and works with virtually every hospital in the United States.

The 3-year partnership combines General Data’s extensive research and product development with TimeMed’s experienced outside sales force and customer service departments to provide healthcare organizations with the besof-breed technology and services. Together, the companies will be able to offer hospitals complete bar code labeling and identification solutions that will reduce patient identification and medical errors while increasing patient safety and quality patient care.

To read more about the Manny Award and this breakthrough technology
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NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla. and JOHNSON CITY, N.Y. – April 12, 2007 – Pharmex^®,a division of TimeMed Labeling Systems, Inc., today announced that it has partnered with Innovation Associates, makers of PharmASSIST® pharmacy automation solutions, to produce customized thermal prescription vial labels for pharmacies using Innovation’s PharmASSIST products.

As pharmacists continue to look for solutions to increase capacity, enhance patient safety through quality control and increase time for patient care, more pharmacies are turning to automation and thermal printing solutions. As the preferred label supplier for Innovation’s PharmASSIST systems, Pharmex provides pharmacies with a reliable labeling solution that has passed stringent quality control testing using Innovation’s various automation products.

“As a result of the retail pharmacy industry’s changing needs and the development of automation, we felt it extremely important to work directly with the providers of these solutions,” said Pharmex General Manager Rod Stone. “Our goal is to provide proper and reliable labeling solutions always with improved patient care in mind. Our long history and knowledge of the pharmacy industry, coupled with our understanding of the technology, allows Pharmex to continue to provide solutions and value to our customers.”

“At Innovation, delivering firsrate quality is the number one criterion for everything we do,” said Mary Reno, chief executive officer of Innovation Associates. “With that said, Pharmex is the only vendor to date that has passed our rigorous testing process. We look forward to partnering with Pharmex and deploying their high quality labeling products with our PharmASSIST systems.”

Inquiries regarding thermal labels for Innovation can be directed to Pharmex customer service at 888-742-7639.

Innovation Associates, Inc., a leader in the world of automated prescription dispensing, offers the PharmASSIST family of products to address the prescription growth, quality assurance, pharmacy workflow, and cost control challenges of all size pharmacies. With over three decades of broad-based, business experience, Innovation Associates is dedicated to delivering the highesquality pharmacy automation products to the pharmacy industry. For more information on Innovation Associates, Inc., visit www.innovat.com.

BURR RIDGE, Ill. – December 20, 2006 – TimeMed Labeling Systems, a leader in labeling products, systems and services for the healthcare industry, today announced that it has signed a three-year contract to supply labels and related products to members of Premier Purchasing Partners, the largest healthcare alliance in the

United States

. TimeMed will provide Premier’s more than 1,700 hospitals and 43,000 nationwide healthcare sites with labeling solutions for hundreds of health care applications, from admissions to the laboratory.

“We are excited that Premier has selected TimeMed as a contracted supplier for labels and related products,” said Jerry Nerad, president of TimeMed Labeling Systems. “As a leading labeling firm servicing the health care industry, we truly understand the needs of our customers. We are constantly scanning the landscape for new solutions, working one-on-one with hospital departments to meet their individual needs, and developing management and delivery programs that respect our customers’ timelines and budgets. We are committed to providing all of our customers with high quality products and services at a fair price, and appreciate the confidence that Premier has in our organization and our people to provide the alliance with innovative labeling solutions, technical expertise, quality service, value and dependability.”

TimeMed has a catalog of more than 3,000 stock items, and produces a variety of custom labeling products that are built to suit the needs of individual departments. The company’s Label Management Program provides materials management, marketing and customer service departments with a custom catalog of labeling solutions that match the current needs of the hospital. The program serves to streamline operations, consolidate vendors, standardize label solutions, facilitate ordering and reduce costs. TimeMed also offers a number of other programs designed to increase order efficiency and streamline the supply chain management.

Additionally, TimeMed also supplies labels, patient identification wristbands and related products to a number of different government agencies, including the

U.S.

military, which turn to TimeMed to extend labeling technology to harsh environments or other difficult applications.

Serving 1,700 hospitals and 42,000 other healthcare sites, Premier Inc. is the largest healthcare alliance in the

United States

dedicated to improving patient outcomes while safely reducing the cost of care. Owned by nofor-profit hospitals, Premier operates the nation's largest healthcare purchasing network, the most comprehensive repository of hospital clinical and financial information and one of the largest policy-holder owned, professional liability insurance companies in healthcare. Headquartered in San Diego, Premier has offices in Charlotte, N.C. and Washington, D.C. Premier Inc. is a recipient of the 2006 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. For more information, visit www.premierinc.com.

About TimeMed Labeling Systems
Founded in 1955, TimeMed Labeling Systems Inc. is an industry leader in quality labeling products, systems and services for the healthcare industry. TimeMed produces labeling solutions designed to improve patient safety and medical accuracy for healthcare facilities, as well as systems to help support supply chain management. TimeMed is headquartered in Burr Ridge, Ill. and has manufacturing facilities in Dallas, Texas. Pharmex, a division of TimeMed and a leading provider of pharmaceutical labeling products and services, is based in New Smyrna Beach, Fla. For more information about TimeMed, visit http://www.timemed.com.
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BD Diagnostics-Preanalytical Systems, a unit of BD (Becton, Dickinson and Company), and TimeMed Labeling Systems, Inc. today announced a collaboration intended to help minimize misaligned labeling errors associated with blood specimen collection and analysis, thus improving laboratory efficiency. A recently restyled BD Vacutainer® Plus Plastic Tube label includes patented visual guide technology for proper placement of secondary labeling. When used in conjunction with the v-notch label manufactured by TimeMed, positioning of secondary labels becomes much easier and helps reduce errors caused by misaligned labels

Importance of Proper Alignment of Secondary Labels

“The proper placement of barcoded secondary labeling is extremely important,” stated Ana Stankovic, MD, PhD, MSPH, Worldwide Medical Affairs Director, BD Diagnostics – Preanalytical Systems. “Misaligned labels may create problems with sample visibility, identification of tube type in the event of removed closure, ability to identify the fill indicator, or inconsistent bar code locations. Any of these issues can create instrumentation readability issues.”

“We believe that the BD v-notch labeling system, when used in conjunction with the v-notch label, manufactured by our industry partners at TimeMed, will allow tremendous efficiencies to be realized in clinical laboratories throughout the U.S.,” commented Steve Sichak, President, BD Diagnostics – Preanalytical Systems. “We believe that the BD and TimeMed v-notch labeling system can reduce the number of misaligned label errors, creating instrumenreadable labels the first time, and minimizing the need for relabeling.”

Collectively, these issues translate into workflow inefficiencies and potential instrument downtime. A recent workflow analysis indicated that the cost to relabel a specimen was $.76* per specimen. In a facility where 200,000 tubes are used annually, if misalignments requiring relabeling occur at a rate of 5 percent, the potential cost savings can be as much as $7,600 per year.

“The new label also improves patient safety since it is designed to prevent errors that can occur during the relabeling process,” stated Stankovic of BD Diagnostics.

In March 2005, all BD Vacutainer Plus Plastic Tubes were restyled to include a visual guide to aid in the proper placement of secondary labels. These v-notched secondary labels manufactured by TimeMed are made to align over the newly restyled BD Vacutainer Plus Plastic Tube label design and are also compatible with the BD.id™ Patient Identification System for Specimen Management. The BD.id System helps ensure that specimens are collected from the right patient at the right time, placed into the right specimen container, subjected to the right tests and that test results are linked back to the right patient, thus enhancing patient safety.

“We are proud to be partnering with BD,” said Shari Dause, Director of Marketing at TimeMed. “BD Vacutainer blood collection tubes are known as the gold standard in the industry. With this new feature for specimen collection tubes, we are working together to help our customers, diagnosticians and pathologists, improve patient care.”

The new labels will be available in mid-November. For more information about BD Vacutainer products, contact BD Global Technical Services at 1.800.631.0174 or visit our website at www.bd.com/vacutainer.

TimeMed, the recognized leader in labeling products for healthcare, is the first labeling manufacturer to collaborate with BD in reducing the problems associated with misaligned secondary labeling errors. Founded in 1955, TimeMed Labeling Systems Inc. is a prominent leader in quality labeling products, systems and services for the healthcare industry. The company produces labeling solutions designed to improve patient safety and medical accuracy for healthcare facilities, as well as systems to help support supply chain management. TimeMed is headquartered in Burr Ridge, IL and also has manufacturing facilities in Dallas and Chatsworth, CA. For more information about TimeMed, visit http://www.timemed.com.

About BD

BD is a medical technology company that serves healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, industry and the general public. BD manufactures and sells a broad range of medical supplies, devices, laboratory equipment and diagnostic products. To learn more about BD, please visit www.bd.com.

General Data and TimeMed Join Forces
TimeMed Company Contact: Maryellen O'keefe-Smith, 800-323-4840, x243, maryellenokeefe@timemed.com

General Data and TimeMed Join Forces to Offer Hospitals
Innovative Bar Code Labeling and Identification Solutions

TimeMed to incorporate General Data’s PersonalID and StainerShield products into solutions offerings

CINCINNATI and BURR RIDGE, Ill. – December 21, 2004 – General Data, a leading provider of specialized labeling and identification products, has signed a marketing and distribution agreement with TimeMed Labeling Systems, a recognized leader in labeling products, systems and services for the healthcare industry. As part of the agreement, TimeMed will integrate into its solutions offerings General Data’s healthcare identification solutions, including the PersonalID patient identification wristbands, and StainerShield, a patenpending bar code identification system designed for pre-stainer labeling of tissue and specimen slides. TimeMed has more than 45 years of labeling expertise in the healthcare industry and works with virtually every hospital in the United States .

The partnership combines General Data’s extensive research and product development with TimeMed’s experienced outside sales force and customer service departments to provide healthcare organizations with the besof-breed technology and services. Together, the companies will be able to offer hospitals complete bar code labeling and identification solutions that will reduce patient identification and medical errors while increasing patient safety and quality patient care.

“General Data is committed to developing innovative products that will help healthcare providers reduce errors, increase efficiencies and enhance patient safety,” said Jim Bacho, General Data’s director of sales. “Our partnership with TimeMed will give hospitals and other providers in all areas of healthcare immediate access to our bar code identification products and solutions that can help them streamline workflow efficiencies and save lives. TimeMed has an impressive presence in the healthcare industry and we look forward to working with their nationwide sales force which currently services hundreds of hospitals across the country.”

General Data’s PersonalID wristbands are designed for error-free bar code and photo identification of patients in hospitals and other healthcare environments. They allow hospitals and other healthcare providers to improve their patient identification processes by utilizing bar code technology to eliminate errors, reduce costs, enhance patient care, address regulatory requirements and prevent fraud.

General Data’s StainerShield solution allows lab technicians to print on-demand, patienspecific bar code labels and apply them to slides before specimens are exposed to harsh chemicals, solvents and stains. StainerShield labels also enable labs to fully utilize bar code technology to improve the tracking process of slides and eliminate potential lab errors that can affect patient safety and patient care.

“We listen to our customers, and there is a definite demand for General Data’s direct thermal products in the field,” said Shari Dause, director of marketing and inside sales at TimeMed. “The hospital lab is one of the fastest growing segments for new labeling solutions, and StainerShield is a very attractive, high-quality replacement for traditional paper labels used by many labs today. In addition, the PersonalID wristband is the most durable patient wristband we have found on the market. As more hospitals implement barcoding and automatic identification technologies at admissions, in the lab, and at the point of care, General Data and TimeMed are ready to provide them with the labeling and identification products and systems they will need.”

“Both companies recognize this agreement as a multi-phase partnership that will continue to develop and deliver innovative solutions to the healthcare industry,” added Bacho. “Because of our unique complementary positions in the industry, healthcare organizations and their consumers will definitely benefit from our combined efforts.”

Founded in 1953, TimeMed Labeling Systems is a recognized leader in labeling products, systems and services for the healthcare industry, and the only leading labeling firm serving healthcare exclusively. The company produces barcode labeling systems designed for applications in healthcare facilities, as well as barcode label and sign printers. TimeMed also offers a complete line of computer labeling products, systems and support for information systems software programs. TimeMed is headquartered in Burr Ridge , Ill. and also has manufacturing facilities in Dallas and Chatsworth , Calif. For more information on TimeMed, visit http://www.timemed.com.

General Data Company is a leading provider of specialized labeling and identification products and solutions. The company’s patenpending healthcare and laboratory identification technologies are designed to improve patient safety and care, reduce medical errors, facilitate patient administration and provide consumers with peace of mind and confidence in their health care providers. General Data is recognized as the premiere provider of integrated bar code identification and data collection products and solutions that enable businesses in a variety of industries to become more efficient and make better decisions. Founded in 1981, General Data is a privately held company with headquarters in Cincinnati , Ohio . More information on General Data products and solutions can be found at http://www.general-data.com.

Creating High Marks
Today's thermal transfer printers and materials are keeping up with the ever-escalating demands on package printing.

THERMAL TRANSFER PRINTING has been around for years. It's the old reliable when it comes to coding and marking on packaging—printing clean bar codes, lot numbers, and other variable information time after time. But even proven technology has room for improvement, especially in the changing world of packaging.

Demands on package performance are rapidly escalating with today's consumer security issues and graphic requirements. And as the capabilities of package printing technology and equipment are enhanced to keep up with changing expectations, so too are thermal transfer printers and materials.

"Using thermal transfer printing has always required a matching of the substrate and ribbon. Now, the ribbon companies are providing ribbons specifically designed for certain applications," said Mindy Nyberg, marketing manager at Dynic USA Corp. "Package printing uses a wide variety of film and synthetic substrates, and there are now ribbons designed for use on those substrates, engineered to run at speeds that won't slow down your line.

"The focus has changed from just providing a product to selling one that includes value-added features so that it meets all your application-specific needs, and providing the service to back it up," Nyberg added.

One such value-added feature is IIMAK's Clean Start, a printhead cleaner that is built in between the leader and the ribbon. "Even though printer OEMs recommend cleaning the printhead after every ribbon, we estimate only about 15 to 20 percent actually do," said Amy Schmitt, company marketing communications manager. "Clean Start encourages printhead cleaning by making it more convenient."

Thermal transfer product manufacturers are also keeping a close eye on RFID. Even though printers and converters are still learning about ways to implement the technology, it's become apparent that coding and marking technologies have to be considered when it comes to printing on smart labels. This is because in the manufacturing of thermal transfer ribbons, an electrical charge builds up due to the production process, explained Candice Kamody, marketing coordinator at Sony Chemicals Corp. of America. Since the electrical components of RFID tags and labels can be damaged by static discharges, printers need to consider the affect thermal transfer ribbons can have on the readability failure rate of smart labels. "The thermal transfer ribbon should be designed to have a low static ink formulation, which will dissipate the electrical charges," Kamody said.

In addition to ribbon innovations, developments have been made in the realm of printer/applicators for smart labels, said Tina Benko, marketing manager at Tharo Systems, Inc. While thermal transfer printers are already being used with smart labels, the future will see more "RFID label printers that are able to print variable information, as well as encode RFID tags," Benko said. "This will combine two processes into one to meet the needs of the supply chain for an RFID encoded shipping label."

IIMAK's anti-static GP725 resin-enhanced wax ribbon is designed to reduce the risk of static discharges that can zap an RFID chip and render it non-readable. The GP725 has a low level of surface resistivity, meaning damaging static electricity is minimized along with the risk of transponder failure from static discharges. While research shows as little as 500 volts of static electricity can damage an RFID tag, some thermal transfer ribbons can produce as much as 1,000 volts. IIMAK's GP725 is highly conductive and effectively dissipates static charge, resulting in negligible discharges in the printing process. The ribbon is also designed for compatibility with Zebra, Datamax, Sato, and other smart label thermal transfer printers, and delivers exceptional print quality on paper-based RFID labels. The GP725 also features Clean Startª.