Impact of automated drug dispensing system on patient safety

Pharmacy Practice

  • Majed Falah Alanazi1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Majed Ibrahim Shahein1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Hamad Mohammed Alsharif1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Saif Mohammed Alotaibi1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Abdulsalam Owaidh Alanazi1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Ahmed Obaidallah Alanazi1Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Umar Abdolah Alharbe2Pharmaceutical Care Department, King Fahd Multispecialty Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Hanad S.S. Almfalh3King Khalid Civil Hospital, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Palanisamy Amirthalingam4Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Ahmed Mohsen Hamdan4Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Vinoth Prabhu Veeramani4Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Shahul Hameed Pakkir Mohamed5Physical therapy Department, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
  • Mostafa A. Sayed Ali4Department of Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia., 6Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assuit University, Egypt.

Volume 20 Issue 4 Pages 1-11

DOI: 10.18549/PharmPract.2022.4.2744

Abstract

Objectives: Automated drug dispensing system (ADDs) is an emerging technology positively impacts drug dispensing efficiency by minimizing medication errors. However, the pharmacist perception of the impact of ADDs on patient safety is not well-established. This cross-sectional observational study aimed to evaluate the dispensing practice and pharmacist perception of ADDs towards patient safety through a validated questionnaire. Methods: A self-designed questionnaire was validated and the pharmacist perception of dispensing practice was compared between two hospitals adopting ADDs and traditional drug dispensing system (TDDs). Results: The developed questionnaire had an excellent internal consistency (both Cronbach's α and McDonald's ω coefficients were >0.9). Factor analysis retained three significant factors (subscales) that explained pharmacist perception of dispensing system, dispensing practice, and patient counseling (p<0.001 for each factor). The average number of prescriptions dispensed per day, drugs contained in each prescription, average time for labeling each prescription and inventory management were significantly varied between ADDs and TDDs (p=0.027, 0.013, 0.044 and 0.004, respectively). The perception of pharmacists using ADDs on three domains were higher than the TDDs. The pharmacists in ADDs agreed that they had enough time to review the medications before dispensing than TDDs and this difference was found to be statistically significant (p=0.028). Conclusions: ADDs was highly effective in improving dispensing practice and medication review; however, the pharmacists need to emphasize the importance of ADDs to translate the pharmacists' freed-time towards patient care.

Keywords

  • drug dispensing
  • pharmacist
  • perception
  • patient safety
  • factor analysis
Pharmacy Practice

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