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KUHA deploys new automated medication dispensing system |
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McKesson UK
: 08 April, 2011 |
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The University of Kansas Hospital Authority (KUHA) plans to implement the new PROmanager-Rx automated medication dispensing system designed to increase accuracy, reduce labour, and trim medication carrying costs. |
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The PROmanager-Rx is the only pharmacy robot that stores and dispenses oral solid medications pre-packaged by the manufacturer in unit-dose, bar-coded form, increasing Patient safety while reducing costs.
KUHA, one of the Midwest' most advanced teaching hospitals, was looking to offset significant increases in drug dispensing volume while strengthening its patient-centric medication approach.
"We’ve experienced a 100 percent increase in daily drug dispensing volume in the past five years, and we were looking for a solution to address current demand and balance increasing volume moving forward," said Rick Couldry, KUHA Director of Pharmacy. "PROmanager-Rx adds both capacity and flexibility. Its design enables us to install it in our pharmacy with minimal disruption and renovation, and the solution also supports our bar-code medication foundation and patient-centric dispensing model."
KUHA already utilises several of McKesson' flexible automated dispensing solutions, including the ROBOT-Rx and MedCarousel pharmacy dispensing systems, and AcuDose-Rx medication dispensing cabinets. Adding the automated medication dispensing system will enable nearly 100 percent of the pharmacy' daily scheduled and first-dose dispensing to be fully automated and verified via bar-code scanning before leaving the pharmacy. The patient-specific medications will be delivered to locked medication cabinets located outside of each patient room for nurses to access and administer, consistent with KUHA' objective to position medications as closely to the patient as possible.
"With full automation in place, our pharmacists will have more time to address our patients’ clinical needs, and also time to prepare patient-specific doses for our neonatal intensive care patients," added Couldry.
In hospital pharmacies, where floor space is limited, PROmanager-Rx can store 12,000 medication doses in a compact 9 x 12-ft area. Using bar code-driven robotics, PROmanager-Rx selects medications prescribed for specific patients, scanning every dose and each patient bar code for the greatest possible safety and accuracy. PROmanager-Rx features sophisticated order processing and inventory management software to increase inventory turns, manage expired and returned medications, and streamline wholesale ordering.
"Many hospitals look to pharmacy automation to minimize the potential for error and waste from various points across the medication supply chain," said Clay Courville, Vice President, McKesson Automation. "The team at KUHA has gone a step further by redistributing pharmacy talent to areas where it can create the most positive impact on patient care."
Manufacturer unit-dose, or blister-type packaging like that dispensed by PROmanager-Rx, is widely available from multiple sources, and is recognized by governing bodies and professional associations as the safest type. Using blister packaging also enables hospitals to significantly reduce on-site medication repackaging requirements, saving pharmacy labour and costs.
Unit-dose packages produced by SKY Packaging, a McKesson company, are certified for use in PROmanager-Rx. Through the Fulfill-Rx SM electronic data interchange software, PROmanager-Rx can be integrated with McKesson' pharmaceutical distribution system to reduce drug inventory costs and associated labour. |
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