Year: 2023
Type: article
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic struck healthcare workers with burnout and left hospitals with extreme staffing shortages. To minimize complications and prevent medication errors during this time, inpatient pharmacies have attempted to increase the availability of medications stored on nursing units. Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs) simplify medication dispensing by working directly with the electronic health record to dispense medications ready for administration. A unique challenge of ADCs is their volatile usage, dependent on medication shortages, provider preference, and individual patient needs. As a result, optimization of ADC inventory is an emerging focus of pharmacy departments as health systems look to maximize efficiency of medication dispensing. At Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, all inpatient profiled ADCs at were optimized during the transition from Pyxis™ES to Omnicell® in the fall of 2021. The following metrics were used to assess efficiency: percentage of cabinet-dispensed medications, vend-to-refill ratios, and stock out percentages. Three months of data for the above metrics were pulled from Pyxis™ES and used as a baseline. Medication par levels in Omnicell® cabinets were then adjusted per usage rates. The metrics were collected again after three months of new par levels in the new cabinets and assessed for increased availability of medications. When compared to baseline, the optimized metrics showed an increased in availability of medications in the cabinets by eight percent. The public health significance of this study lies with the streamlining of medication delivery while contributing to the creation of an error-free healthcare system.
Author: Robb, Rachel
Institution: University of Pittsburgh
Language: English
Subfield: Pharmacy
Field: Health Professions
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7042290915