Asteres' Linda Pinney says ADDMs can reduce Rx mix-ups
|
While much pharmacy technology today is being touted as revolutionary in terms of enhancing productivity, streamlining pharmacy
operations, and allowing pharmacists more time with patients for consultations, patient safety remains the most important
area of concern for vendors and pharmacists alike.
Robotics, workflow, document scanning at intake, electronic prescriptions, pill imaging, and bar coding all comprise the makeup
of today's modern, technology-driven pharmacy. So how does this new technology reduce drug errors and improve patient safety?
Many vendors market their products by promoting patient safety, noting that automation significantly reduces the chances of
drug error. And perhaps no other piece of pharmacy technology is scrutinized for patient safety more than automated drug dispensing
machines (ADDMs).
The criteria for evaluating an ADDM is often two-tiered—how well it reduces costs and how effective it is in reducing medication
errors, noted Michael Rupp, Ph.D., R.Ph., professor of pharmacy administration at Midwestern University in Glendale, Ariz.
"However, I would hope that pharmacists are primarily looking toward technology to improve both the effectiveness and safety
of care with these systems." Concerns with patient safety and a mission to improve it were the driving reasons that Shawnee Mission, Kansas-based IT vendor
ScriptPro got into the automated dispensing field, according to Michael Coughlin, president and CEO. "We learned from our
pharmacy industry focus groups in the mid-'90s just how many problems pharmacists were experiencing with regard to medication
errors." As such, the company began the development of its current product offerings, which includes the SP series, the company's
line of robotic dispensing systems.
Justifying robotics
Asteres ScriptCenter is in 30 retail pharmacy locations nationwide
|
When it comes to the use of robotics in pharmacies, major chains and hospitals again have been faster than regional chains
or independents to embrace and adopt robotic dispensing systems. Costs of these systems are upwards of $200,000 per installation,
making it difficult for pharmacists in smaller pharmacies to justify the costs. Fully automated robotic systems are only cost
effective in high-volume pharmacies filling more than 350 prescriptions per day for the independent and more than 600 prescriptions
per day for the chains.
Robotics has overall "helped pharmacies do a better job of customer service and achieve higher customer satisfaction," noted
Coughlin. "The most fundamental step a pharmacy can take to move up the scale on customer service is to put in robotics because
there is no reason for pharmacists to be tied up handling products. They need to be focused on the patient—the safety of the
patient and the outcome—so the robot is the biggest shot in the arm you can give them to do that."
Hy-Vee Pharmacy, in Muscatine, Iowa, for example, began using ScriptPro's SP 200—the company's line of pharmacy robotic solutions—to
manage its growing workload and allow more time for pharmacist-patient consults. The system "took the stress out of our pharmacy
workflow," explained Kasey O'Kelly, store director. "We could not keep up with the prescription volume and were always behind—sometimes
by two hours. With the SP 200 counting, filling, and labeling 50% of the prescriptions, the customer's order is ready about
30 minutes after it is phoned in. Our volume has increased because the employees are less stressed and happy and that rubs
off on our customers."
Practice Tools
