Robotic dispensing for better care

Automated drug dispensing is nowadays performed by robotic dispensers in healthcare facilities. The decentralisation and automation of a medicine retrieval system efficiently improve streamlined workflows.

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What is automated drug dispensing?

Automating the medication management processes is a key element to simplify the daily clinical routine:

Pharmacists will be relieved from the labor-intensive distributive functions
Patient care will be enhanced by both pharmacists and nurses
Traceability and storage of medications will be improved
Availability of drugs will be increased

Automated dispensing in particular can be used on the one hand for the storage, and on the other hand for the retrieval of drugs. The storage of new medications can be fully or semi-automated, depending on the number of different forms of medication. The robotic dispensing system independently takes over the optimal and space-saving sorting and inventory management of the medicines in pharmacies. Pharmacy automation solutions independently detect critical stock levels and trigger a message.

Which robotic dispenser is the right one?

There are several methods of dispensing prescribed doses to patients. Each method can rely on a specific technological medication management solution, to ensure the patient receives the right medication, at the right place, at the right time. First, you need to analyse what the criteria are that define the medicine retrieval methods:

Workflow: You need to consider the way goods and data are handled within the pharmacy, but also the way goods and data circulate across departments within the hospital
Location: The place where medications are handled and therapies are prepared is a focal distinguishing point to determine how the medicines will be dispensed
Flexibility: Everything changes, so does your hospital organisation. The ability to keep pace and adapt to evolving environment ensures that the resources you invest in today are well spent for the future

How to choose the right robotic dispensing machine?

When you approach medication dispensing, there are a few aspects to be taken into consideration to create your own automated medication management environment:

Evaluate the degree of automation and informatisation you wish to adopt

As the robotic dispensing process needs to be integrated in your hospital infrastructure, including software and management tools, it is necessary to assess the adoption and utilisation of HIS, Electronic Medical Records and electronic prescription. Digital readiness is the key for a successful automation implementation.

Engage people and workflows

A successful shift to the use of a robot an accurate examination of workflows and the contribution of the right people from the very beginning of the project.

Interactions within the pharmacy and across departments shall be designed to ensure smooth handling and deliveries of medication, for ultimately guaranteeing traceability and patient safety.

A step-by-step implementation eliminates inefficiencies and interruption of service, and leverages the expertise gained, ensuring people and departments deploy the new workflow when the right conditions for this prevail.

Define a sustainable roadmap

Developing a long-term automation plan considering the final desired stage of pharmacy automation in your retrieval method, will help you to reach your objectives.

Opting for flexible, future-oriented solutions allows you to set foundations for adapting when your needs evolve, and ensures the resources investment of today is well spent for the future.

Our customers' experiences

Thanks to automation, we’ve drastically reduced stock levels and minimized the number of expired drugs.

Enrica Corsi, Hospital Pharmacist at Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital

Hugo van der Kuy, Head of Hospital Pharmacy at Erasmus MC

PillPick not only makes a significant contribution to error reduction but also provides a great support to nursing. We relieve nursing staff of many tasks and reduce the workload in the pharmacy at the same time.

Hugo van der Kuy, Head of Hospital Pharmacy at Erasmus MC

The system has simplified the process for us. It’s quick, efficient, and allows us to focus more on patient care rather than medication management.

Daniela Valenti, Head Nurse at Morgagni-Pierantoni Hospital

What types of robotic dispensind machines are the most common?

Pack dispensing

Packaging dispensing systems are the simplest automation for medication retrieval and easily integrated into your hospital. They are characterized above all by high-density storage of packages, fully automated storage, and continuous inventory optimization.

Medicines are stored securely and with restricted access in the pharmacy robots, and crucial information is available in real time, reducing waste. Medicines are dispensed per package, taking into account the expiration date.
All forms dispensing

Unit dose is one of the most effective and safest methods of ensuring that the right drug is in the right place at the right time.

When implementing the unit dose concept, it is recommended to use automated pharmacy storage systems that can handle all forms of medication and thus support single-dose and package-based replenishment of decentralized storage locations in nursing wards. At the same time, it should be ensured that unused drugs can be returned to the dispenser to prevent medication waste and excess stock on the wards.

The separation of medications ensures their traceability throughout the entire workflow, from storage in the pharmacy to administration to the patient. The automation not only eliminates picking errors and increases safety during the retrieval, it also creates a more efficient workflow in the pharmacy.
Patient-specific therapy prepared in the central pharmacy

The right medication treatment and dosage are essential for patients' recovery.

Implementing the unit dose approach already increases patient safety and reduces medication waste. Using a dispensing system that enables additional fully automated patient therapies further enhances the benefits of unit doses:

Individual doses are assembled according to the prescription using the intelligent unit dose system PillPick Octave and dispensed on a ring. Centralized provision eliminates the need for handling in the nursing wards. Errors in dosing and medication assembly are eliminated and the complexity of cross-departmental workflows is reduced.

Q&A

How is a robotic dispensing system used in a hospital?

A robotic dispensing system is an automated storage and retrieval system used in the healthcare industry to securely store and dispense drugs and medical products in the central pharmacy.

Pharmacists place orders at the dispenser and one or more robotic arms pick and dispense the required drugs. By automating drug inventory, stock levels, inventory reports, and control of these drugs are digitized.

With the automation of storing, picking and dispensing of pills, management of drugs becomes more efficient and accuracy of dispensed medication increases.

What types of medications can be dispensed using robotic systems?

Robotic systems can dispense a wide variety of medications, ranging from small items like blister packs and ampoules to larger items. These systems are designed to handle different forms of medications efficiently. They ensure accurate retrieval and improve inventory management.

How does robotic dispensing enhance patient safety?

Robotic dispensing enhances patient safety in several ways. Firstly, it reduces the risk of human error by ensuring accurate and consistent medication dispensing. Furthermore, it helps that the right dose is administrated to the right patient at the right time. Additionally, robotic systems maintain precise inventory control, which helps in tracking medication usage and preventing stockouts or overstocking. This level of accuracy and control significantly reduces the chances of medication errors, thereby enhancing overall patient safety.

What are the key benefits of automating medication dispensing?

The number one benefit of a robotic dispensing system is to relieve medical staff and give them more time for better patient care. The systems provide future-proofing, ensuring that pharmacies and hospitals are prepared for the ongoing labor shortage.

Other advantages include:

Automated retrieval of drugs reduces human intervention, which minimizes the risk of errors during the picking process and leads to greater patient safety.
Clinical staff completes tasks more efficiently and with higher accuracy. The time saved can be reallocated to value-added services such as medication administration consultations.
An automated system helps optimize inventory levels with continual inventory checks and control. The manual check-and-balance of inventories is thus eliminated, and bottlenecks in the supply of medications are avoided.
Pharmacies gain better cost control with optimized inventory by eliminating drug waste due to expiration while ensuring high availability of necessary medication for patient treatments.
With denser storage, less space is needed to store the required medication for the hospital.