IMPROVING PHARMACY EFFICIENCY with AUTOMATED MEDICATION DISPENSING

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Welcome
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Improving Pharmacy Efficiency

• New Equipment
• And Technologies
• For Inventory Control
• Donna Riehl CPhT, PhT.R.

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Improving Pharmacy Efficiency

• Introduction
• Brief history of inventory control
• New equipment and technologies
• Systems overview
• Implementation
• Benefits and/or limitations
• Future of pharmacy technology
• Open discussion and questions

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History Of Inventory Control

• Drugstore dispensatory from the 1920's

• Salem, N.J., Hospital sold after paying fine for
  pharmacy inventory problems.
• Byline Sam wood sep. 27--SALEM, N.J.--A Salem
  county hospital has paid a 1 million fine after
  an investigation revealed lax inventory controls
  in its pharmacy, authorities said yesterday.
  News of the settlement came just before an
  announcement that the sale of memorial hospital
  of Salem county to a corporation based in
  Tennessee had been completed. The settlement
  that Salem memorial reached yesterday with the
  U.S. Attorney's office requires the...

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History Of Inventory Control

• Systematically determined inventory requirements.
• Determined stock levels or reorder points based
  on current demand.
• Large purchases inflated inventories to levels
  that were substantially higher than needed.
• Intuitive judgments, experience, customary
  ordering practices.
• Observations of stock on shelves.

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Inventory Management Carousel

• System overview
• Streamlines stocking
• Pick-to-light indicators
• Supports all dosage forms and packages
• Decreases storage space by 30 to 50
• Reduces time-on task
• Automatically tracks and documents activities
• Recognizes priority orders
• Compares inventory stock levels

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Inventory Management Carousel

• Implementation.
• First-dose turnaround.
• Software to manage inventory and direct order
  picking.
• Replenishment pyxis orders through carousel.

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Inventory Management Carousel

• Benefits.
• Lower inventory levels and achieve greater
  economic benefits.
• Maintain inventory records to document quantities
  on hand and value.
• Perform periodic physical inventories.
• Generates consolidated, daily electronic orders
  to the wholesale distributor.

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AUTOCAROUSEL
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Medication Repackager

• System overview.
• Barcoding activities are automatically
  coordinated.
• 350 most frequently-used medications are stored
  securely in repackager.
• Package and label less common medications and
  special orders, such as half tablets.

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Medication Repackager

• Implementation.
• Transferable circle labels for multi-dose
  medications like ointments, eye drops, to ensure
  the bar code remains with the package and linked
  to the administered dose.
• Flag labels applied to ampoules and syringes
  upon delivery from wholesaler.

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Medication Repackager

• Benefits.
• First dose.
• Enhance work flow.
• Improving dispensing accuracy.
• Reduce staff time-on-task.
• Lowers nurse-to-patient delivery time.

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Autopacker
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Autopacker
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Autolabeler
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Automated Dispensing Machines

• System overview
• Improved response time and accuracy for STAT and
  first dose orders
• Reduced time required for ADU and cart fill
  replenishment
• A reduction in staff hours dedicated to ordering,
  picking, and dispensing

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Automated Dispensing Machines

• Implementation.
• Identify top 80 movers to be loaded.
• Assign medication to bin location.
• Separate sound a-like/look-alike, similar
  packages, same color, etc.
• Enter earliest expiration date.
• Determine maximum and minimum.
• Set-up restock time.
• Monitor for possible changes.

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Automated Dispensing Machines

• Benefits
• Barcode-based pharmacy
• Integrated system with the pharmacy suppliers
• Billing information
• Valuation for both pre-packed and pharmacy
  manufactured inventory. 

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Automated Dispensing Machines

• Limitations
• Only one nurse can pull meds at any given time
• Required space

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Pyxis Vault
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Refrigerator
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Future Of Pharmacy Technology

• Robotics
• Telepharmacy
• Will call storage

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Cytocare
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Cytocare

• Combines a robotic arm, laser-driven syringe
  filler, sophisticated workflow software and a
  sterile cabinet

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ScriptPro

• Telepharmacy technician filling a remote order

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Inspection And Verification
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Counseling And Patient Education
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HangRx

• Will call storage

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Conference
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Open Discussion

• Questions