Parata puts patients first.

Long before health-care reform, Durham-based Parata Systems was empowering pharmacists to fill prescriptions efficiently, safely and accurately, so they had more time to spend directly with patients. Today, its technology has filled more than 2.5 billion prescriptions, avoiding an estimated 15 million medication errors. What began as a high-tech equipment company has evolved into a pharmacy solutions leader with customers and partners across the United States and around the world.

It all began in 2001, when a handful of pharmacy experts brought to market lifesaving technology that replaced the pill-counting tray and ensured accurate medication dispensing in vials. They had a vision to use high-tech tools and workflow to free time for pharmacists to counsel patients, identify and avoid medication interactions, encourage adherence and more.

Parata now boasts an entire suite of medication management and workflow solutions and customers in every market, including national chains and the U.S. Department of Defense. Pharmacies that use Parata's strip packaging technology, which organizes medications by date and time of dose, report they have decreased med-pass times, improved adherence and lowered their patients' medical costs.

Parata's team of Lean Six...