Pharmacy automation in King Abdulaziz University hospital : A genuine pilot treatise in the female section

Abstract

Possible dispensing and medication errors threatening patients in different hospital units may result from the overstressed working 
environment in the pharmacy throughout the day. Among the responsibility of a hospital pharmacy is the development of a safe 
optimized method for drug preparation, dispensing and distribution among inpatients in the different hospital wards. The main aim of the current study lies in the implementation of an automated pharmacy unit in the female medical ward as a pilot study with the objective of further generalization of the trial throughout the different departments of the hospital. The designed unit was instilled and integrated with the general hospital system. This process aimed at centralizing the dispensing process of drugs in the female medical ward. Several parameters were monitored and compared before and after automation throughout the trial period including time taken from the start of medication order until its delivery to the patient. Sample size was calculated from the needed unit orders/ day to 
cover the medical need of 62 beds in the ward.Results revealed that the application of an automated system in the female medical 
unit saved time and effort with a decrease in personal load and possible error. Automated dispensing units with the possibility of 
decentralized medication distribution system providescomputer-controlled storage, dispensing and tracking of medications within the different hospital domains and diminishes the possibility of medication error to a great extent.