What’s each pharmacist’s worst nightmare? A prescription error chargeable for the hurt or demise of a affected person. Steve Moore, PharmD, proprietor of Condominium Pharmacy in Plattsburgh, New York, mentioned that whereas nobody needs to trigger hurt, there may be solely a lot every individual can do as a result of human error is inevitable in lots of elements of medication. life. That is why Moore is 100% dedicated to using know-how to make sure no prescription errors happen.
“Know-how options are an necessary a part of our workflow course of to make sure the correct treatment will get to the correct affected person on the proper time,” Moore mentioned. “There are various choices: software program, {hardware} or a mix of each. I encourage each pharmacist to take a look at their ache factors and bottlenecks to find out the place their wants lie.
Lindsay Dymowski, president of Centennial Pharmacy Companies, famous that some pharmacists have been gradual to simply accept the know-how, as a substitute being “pressured” to make use of the know-how as soon as it was applied by their employers. “Pharmacists are glad to make use of autofill algorithms, which at first look looks like a option to save time,” Dymowski mentioned. “In actuality, having software program select the correct affected person, confirm the treatment and calculate the every day provide whereas a pharmacist approves that the software program is appropriate is a security measure. »
But pharmacists could also be hesitant to make use of shelling out applied sciences reminiscent of bottle or sachet packing robots, satisfied that there are errors within the Nationwide Medicines Code or within the counting of tablets, even when it has Automated applied sciences have been proven to be extra correct than a human.1 “There are such a lot of algorithms constructed into pharmacy administration techniques and pharmaceutical shelling out applied sciences that make prescribing errors extraordinarily preventable,” Dymowski mentioned.
At this time’s technological instruments
Know-how can be utilized to automate the treatment reconciliation course of, lowering the chance of errors and making certain the affected person receives all the right medicines. Automated shelling out techniques dispense medicines utilizing a computer-controlled course of, lowering the chance of errors resulting from incorrect dosing or mislabeling. Automated shelling out techniques can even assist forestall treatment theft and diversion.
Extra pharmacists are additionally starting to make use of barcode scanning know-how to confirm the id and dosage of medicines administered to sufferers. In a hospital setting, suppliers can scan a barcode on the treatment and on the affected person’s wristband, making certain that the correct treatment is run to the correct affected person.
In his pharmacy, Moore takes benefit of digital prescriptions, workflow applied sciences reminiscent of scanners and barcode readers, and counting gadgets. “We put in workflow know-how over a decade in the past and I wouldn’t run a pharmacy with out it,” he mentioned.
John Ahler, PharmD, makes use of locking prescription bottles in his medication-assisted therapy (MAT) program at Decrease Lights Christian Well being Middle in Columbus, Ohio. “This MAT program distributes medicines to just about 250 sufferers in lockable prescription bottles, which require a 4-digit code to open,” he mentioned. “Sufferers are required to return the vial every time, which will increase (adherence) amongst sufferers and total security towards issues like unintended ingestion, misuse and theft.”
Dishing out medicines into these lockable bottles has improved the general operation of e! – the relevance of the MAT program, in line with Ahler; thus far, 80% of sufferers collaborating in this system mentioned their medicines had been safer and pharmacists reported no influence on regular workflow.
“For MAT sufferers, it is very important hold their medicines safe when touring with them or at residence to cut back the chance of theft or unintended ingestion,” Ahler mentioned. “The potential penalties of drug diversion are critical. »
A technological evolution
Know-how centered on lowering prescribing errors has advanced for the higher over time, resulting in extra dependable gear and cheaper choices. “We’re able to be first adopters of something that can make our lives simpler or improve affected person security,” Moore mentioned.
Not utilizing know-how to its fullest extent solely hinders pharmacists. Anytime you need to use know-how that makes your pharmacy a safer place for sufferers to obtain their medicines, that is the time to make use of it. “Pharmacies are hectic environments; there are cellphone calls, colleagues speaking, sufferers generally shouting over counters, beeping in automobile home windows, firm expectations hanging over workers’ shoulders… Use and belief know-how provides pharmacists the power to be assured that what they’re doing is appropriate,” Dymowski mentioned. . “Not solely does it assist the scientific experience of pharmacists, however it additionally protects the selections they make all through the day. »
Reference
1. Davenport T, Kalakota R. The potential of synthetic intelligence in healthcare. Future Well being J. 2019;6(2):94-98. doi:10.7861/futurehosp.6-2-94. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6616181/
