The field of pharmacy is constantly evolving to better serve patients and increase efficiency. One of the biggest trends transforming pharmacies today is automation. By incorporating robotic and automated technology into medication preparation and distribution processes, pharmacies are able to work smarter and maintain high standards of safety, accuracy and convenience. This article explores some of the key areas of pharmacy that are being automated and what this means for patients, pharmacists and the healthcare industry overall.
Medication Dispensing
One of the most common areas of pharmacy operations being automated is medication dispensing. Automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) allow pharmacists to store bulk medications and dispense individual labeled doses on demand. The cabinets are loaded with medications and programmed with dosage instructions. When a prescription comes through electronically, the ADC will retrieve, count out and package the exact number of pills in a labeled container ready for pickup. This eliminates human error that can occur during manual counting and packaging of medications. ADCs also help control inventory and flag expired medications. Their use in hospitals has significantly reduced medication errors during dispensing.
Prescription Fulfillment
Beyond individual dose dispensing, some pharmacies are automating their entire prescription fulfillment process from start to finish. Automated systems use robots and conveyor belts to receive electronic prescriptions, select the correct medications from an automated drug cabinet, count and package pills, apply the proper label and sorting the finished prescription for will call or delivery. Staff intervention is minimized. Several large pharmacy chains have adopted these types of automated systems, allowing a single technician to process thousands of prescriptions in a shift through the automated system versus a few hundred manually. This boosts productivity and efficiency while freeing up pharmacists for more clinical tasks.
Medication Compounding
The complex process of mixing and preparing compounded medications is also being made more precise and efficient through pharmacy automation. Robotics are used for accuracy in measuring minute amounts of various ingredients, mixing powders and liquids, filling and labeling final containers. Automated systems ensure ingredients are of the right type and amount, reducing risk of errors. Compounding pharmacies have seen major benefits from automating this once labor-intensive part of their business through improved accuracy, consistency, efficiency and reduced waste of costly ingredients.
Automated Medication Inventory Management
With more medications and fewer staff, tracking inventory in large pharmacies and hospitals has become a complex challenge. Automated systems with scanning cameras and weight sensors in storage shelves help track exact quantities on hand in real-time without manual counting. pharmacy staffers can view full inventory levels across multiple locations from a central network. Automated reordering systems then place orders as needed to maintain optimal stock levels based on algorithms. Integration with electronic dispensing systems also supports automatic reordering triggered as each medication is dispensed from ADCs. Tighter inventory controls reduce costs from overstocking while ensuring adequate medications are always on hand.
Decentralized Pharmacy Automation
Medical facilities such as hospitals have taken pharmacy automation to the next level through decentralized systems. Rather than a central pharmacy, automated dispensing cabinets are placed right at nurses stations on various floors and units. Prescriptions are sent electronically by doctors and filled immediately from the nearest ADC. This minimizes tedious medication pass times for nurses and eliminates risks of medication errors from multiple handoffs between prescribers, pharmacists and nurses. Patients also benefit from quicker access to medications right after being prescribed. The level of automation has transformed hospitals into nearly paperless, fully digital and highly efficient medication distribution systems.
Automated Packaging and Labeling
As the volume of prescriptions grows, efficiently and accurately packaging and labeling medications has become a significant bottleneck. However, automated packaging and labeling machines can handle thousands of prescriptions per hour. Robot arms precisely count pills into blister packs or containers at lightning speed. High-resolution printers then generate custom multi-dose medication labels with patient name, drug name, dosing instructions and barcodes for scanning. Machines catch errors like incorrect drugs or labels in real-time. This allows pharmacies to scale up operations with minimal added staff. The time savings allows human pharmacists to focus on direct patient care.
While still an evolving technology, pharmacy automation has undeniably changed how medications are prepared, dispensed and monitored both inside pharmacies and medical facilities. It is improving safety, efficiency and scale for an industry tasked with accurately delivering complicated drug regimens. Automation also frees up pharmacists from repetitive technical roles to expand clinical patient services. As systems integrate further with electronic health records; the potential for automation to reshape pharmacy practices and maintain high quality care for growing populations is immense. The pharmacy of the future will be one powered by advanced robotics and digital connectivity working in concert with clinical pharmacists to optimize medication management for all.
