/C O R R E C T I O N — Kipu Health/
In the news release, Kipu and Opio Announce Strategic Partnership to Deliver Integrated Robotic Methadone Dispensing to OTP Market, issued 06-Aug-2026 by Kipu Health over PR Newswire, we are advised by the company that changes have been made. The complete, corrected release follows, with additional details at the end:
Kipu Health Integrates with Opio to Bring Robotic Methadone Dose Assembly to OTP Clinics Nationwide
New Opio ZING® integration automates manual dose preparation directly from the Kipu EMR — helping clinics address the nursing shortage and scale OTP operations without adding headcount
MIAMI, Aug. 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kipu Health, the intelligent operating system fueling behavioral health, today announced a partnership with Opio Connect to bring the ZING® robotic methadone dose assembly system to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) using the Kipu platform. The integration allows clinic staff to send approved dose orders from Kipu directly to the ZING robot in a single click, automating the manual preparation of take-home methadone doses, and returning nursing time to direct patient care.
The ZING system measures, pumps, caps, foil-seals, and labels each dose automatically — assembling up to 400 doses per hour. Every completed dose links back to the patient record in Kipu for a full, auditable chain of custody, without requiring staff to leave their existing clinical workflow.
The opioid use disorder treatment market is under significant strain—and OTP clinics are caught in the middle. Federal grant funding is pushing programs to expand access, with more than $1.5 billion in SAMHSA State Opioid Response grants awarded in 2025 alone. But the workforce to support that growth is disappearing. One in three nurses plans to leave the profession by 2027, and nurse turnover costs a clinic an average of $56,000.
The pressure shows up most visibly at the dosing window. Nurses spend hours each day manually pouring, sealing, and labeling take-home methadone doses—on top of patient care, documentation, and compliance responsibilities. The result is long patient wait times, limited capacity, and a daily grind that accelerates the very burnout pushing nurses out of the field.
“OTP clinics are being asked to do more with less every year,” said Carina Edwards, CEO of Kipu Health. “The ZING integration is a direct answer to that pressure. It automates the most labor-intensive part of the OTP workday, gives nurses time back, and keeps every dose tied to the patient record in Kipu. For the clinics we serve, this is needed innovation to ensure their organizations thrive.”
The Kipu-ZING integration covers take-home and pre-pour dose preparation. Clinicians order and approve doses in the Kipu EMR; the order is transmitted to the ZING system, which completes the physical preparation and returns a linked record for tracking.
“Kipu is one of the most modern EMR platforms in behavioral health, and this integration is force-multiplying for opioid treatment programs,” said Sam Wilson, Opio CEO. “We’ve seen 358% ROI on staffing efficiencies at clinics running ZING. Combining that with Kipu’s clinical workflow, means opioid treatment programs can provide lifesaving care to more patients while simultaneously supporting their nurses.”
The U.S. opioid use disorder treatment market is projected to grow from $3.66 billion in 2025 to $9.64 billion by 2034, an 11% compound annual growth rate, driven by federal policy priorities, expanded MOUD access requirements, and ongoing treatment demand. For Kipu, the Opio partnership marks a strategic expansion into the OTP market segment.
About Kipu Health
Kipu Health is the intelligent operating system fueling behavioral health. Built for behavioral health from day one, Kipu connects clinical, operational, and financial workflows across the care continuum—from admissions through revenue cycle—in one AI-native platform. Kipu serves more than 6,000 behavioral health organizations across the United States. Learn more at kipu.com.
About Opio Connect
Opio Connect is a healthcare technology company transforming medication access through intelligent pharmacy automation and remote care solutions. Its flagship product, the ZING® robotic dose assembly system, automates methadone dose preparation, improving safety, efficiency, and patient access while reducing workforce burden.
Correction: Several updates were made throughout the copy, including a revised headline and subhead
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SOURCE Kipu Health
