Students look to technology to solve business challenges confronting PANTHERx
As a highly specialized pharmacy delivering prescriptions nationwide to people with uncommon, if not rare diseases, PANTHERx handles some of the drug industry’s most expensive and perishable medicines. As a result, the region’s fastest growing company needs to stay in constant communication with patients as well as suppliers and shippers to make sure there’s as little damage and waste as possible.
This month, teams of students from Avonworth and Blackhawk school districts began trying to help PANTHERx find ways of using technology to improve communication with patients and upgrade special refrigeration units the company provides for their homes.
The teams took up the challenge through our Student Powered Solutions program, which creates partnerships between schools and businesses to give students project-based learning opportunities to apply STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Math) skills to authentic problems.
The Avonworth team visited PANTHERx on November 16 to discuss the company’s challenges and examine the equipment they might modify. Blackhawk’s team visited the company Nov. 23 and, like Blackhawk, quizzed PANTHERx Business Operations Vice President Jonathan Ogurchak about the company’s existing technologies and needs the company would like to fill by improving it.
Following are photos from both teams’ visits and their discussions with Mr. Ogurchak. The first six taken with the Blackhawk team and the final six were taken with Avonworth. We’ll keep you posted as the project unfolds, so check back to our website for updates.
