Time and cost analysis of repacking medications in unit-of-use containers

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Practice
• Medication Management
• Healthcare Operations

Background:

• Community pharmacies face challenges in optimizing workflow efficiency.
• Traditional dispensing methods involve time-consuming manual processes like counting and pouring medications.
• Enhancing pharmaceutical care requires reallocating pharmacist time from routine tasks to patient-centered activities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of repacking drugs into unit-of-use containers on pharmacy workflow.
• To determine if unit-of-use repacking reduces manual dispensing tasks, thereby freeing up pharmacist time.
• To assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of unit-of-use repacking in community pharmacy settings.

Main Methods:

• A simulation pilot study was conducted in three community pharmacies.
• Key variables evaluated included optimum pack size, time savings, packaging costs, and shelving requirements.
• Workflow analysis and time studies were employed to quantify time savings, alongside measurements for storage impact.

Main Results:

• Repacking the 25 fastest-moving drugs could save an average of 0.79 minutes per prescription.
• There was a marginal increase in cost of approximately $0.05 per repack bottle.
• Unit-of-use containers could increase pharmacy storage needs by 2.5 times if current inventory levels are maintained.

Conclusions:

• Repacking drugs into unit-of-use containers presents a cost-effective strategy to enhance pharmacy efficiency.
• This approach allows for increased pharmacist availability for patient care without necessitating additional staff or technology investments.
• The study suggests that unit-of-use repacking is a viable method for optimizing time allocation in community pharmacies.