Robotic dispensing for better care

Automated drug dispensing is nowadays performed by robotic dispensers in pharmacies and hospitals. The decentralisation and automation of a medication dispensing system efficiently improves streamline 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 medications will be increased

Automated drug dispensing in particular can be used on the one hand for the storage, and on the other hand for the dispensing of medications. The storage of new medications can be fully automated, as well as semi-automated, depending on the number of different forms of medication. The automated 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.

There is not one correct medication dispensing, there is the dispensing method that best suits each healthcare institution. Find yours!

Matthias Geier, Portfolio Manager

Which robotic dispenser is the right one?

There are several methods of dispensing medications 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, we need to analyse what the criteria are that define the medicine dispensing 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 medication 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 automated medication dispensing requires 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 dispensing 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.

Efficient operation with robotic dispensing systems

Pack dispensing

You can opt for a pack dispensing automated system that can support you with inventory optimization and control. Our fully automated pharmacy robot offers high-density storage and rapid retrieval. It is easily integrated into your pharmacy to maximise space and storage via smart loading and unloading features. Medications are stored safely, and vital information is available in real-time, reducing waste. Our efficiency-boosting system also saves time, enabling you to focus on your patients.

Discover more on the EvoTec product page
All forms dispensing

Unit dose is one of the best and safest ways to ensure that the right medication is at the right place, at the right time. We can combine unit dose packaging with flexible and modular storage and dispensing systems, in the pharmacy and on the ward. Medications traceability is ensured throughout the entire workflow, from pharmacy to administration to patient. The automated medication storage and retrieval not only eliminates picking errors and increases safety at dispense but also creates a more efficient pharmacy workflow.

Discover more on how BoxPicker can help you.
Patient-specific therapy prepared in the central pharmacy

The right medication treatment and dosage is essential for the patients' recovery. By using the most advanced automated solution, you can optimize the flow of medication from healthcare staff to patients. Medications are portioned and overwrapped in unit dose and dispensed in a round format – to increase patient safety, improve workflows, reduce waste, and give you more time to focus on care.

Discover more on the PillPick product page.

Q&A

How is a robotic dispensing system used in a hospital?

A robotic dispenser is an automated storage and retrieval system used in the healthcare industry to securely store and dispense medications 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 medication, management of drugs becomes more efficient and accuracy of dispensed medication increases.

What are the benefits of a robotic dispensing system?

The number one benefit of a robotic dispensing system is to relieve medical staff and give them more time for better patient care.

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.