Related Experiment Video
Updated: Sep 3, 2025
08:06
Automated Acoustic Dispensing for the Serial Dilution of Peptide Agonists in Potency Determination Assays
Published on: November 10, 2016
7.7K
Automated Dispensing Cabinet Functionality Expansion to Reduce Controlled Substance Inventory Discrepancies.
James A M Rhodes1, Bryan C McCarthy2, Anthony C Scott3
1UChicago Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
Hospital Pharmacy
|July 28, 2022
Summary
Automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) can cause medication errors. Expanding ADC cassette use reduced controlled substance discrepancies but increased cassette dispensing errors, highlighting a trade-off in medication safety.
Area of Science:
- Health Informatics
- Pharmacy Practice
- Patient Safety
Background:
- Automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) are susceptible to technology-induced errors during controlled substance dispensing.
- Existing enhancements to medication use processes have not fully addressed the impact of ADC functionality on controlled substance discrepancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess how expanded ADC functionality influences technology-induced errors, specifically controlled substance discrepancies.
- To evaluate the effect of ADC cassette expansion on errors during blind inventory counts and cassette dispensing.
Main Methods:
- A quasi-experimental study over 18 months at 8 ADCs evaluated the expanded use of dispensing cassettes for high-usage, unit-dose controlled substances.
- Controlled substance dispenses, blind inventory count discrepancies, and cassette dispensing errors were compared before and after cassette expansion.
- Discrepancy and error rates were calculated using 1-week segments throughout the study.
Main Results:
- The proportion of cassette dispenses rose from 16% to 72% post-expansion.
- Controlled substance discrepancies significantly decreased from 11 to 7 per 1000 dispenses (P < .0001).
- Cassette dispensing errors significantly increased to approximately 28 per 1000 dispenses (P < .0001).
Conclusions:
- Expanding ADC functionality can reduce technology-induced controlled substance discrepancies.
- This expansion comes at the cost of a significant increase in cassette dispensing errors, indicating a need for careful management.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:25Clearance Models: Compartment Models
126
Clearance measures drug elimination from the central compartment, including plasma and highly perfused organs like kidneys and liver. Its calculation varies depending on pharmacokinetic models and administration routes. The one-compartment model, for instance, portrays the pharmacokinetics of polar drugs such as aminoglycoside antibiotics administered intravenously and readily excreted in urine. In this case, clearance is influenced by the terminal rate constant (λz) and the total volume...
126
01:25Drug Distribution: Volume of Distribution
5.5K
The volume of distribution refers to the theoretical volume necessary to contain the entire amount of an administered drug at the same concentration observed in the blood plasma. The body's intracellular fluid compartment, which makes up two-thirds of the total body water, is contrasted with the extracellular fluid compartment—comprising plasma and interstitial fluid—that accounts for one-third. The volume of distribution can vary depending on the characteristics of the drug.
5.5K
01:17Clearance Models: Noncompartmental Models
100
Clearance is a pharmacokinetic parameter traditionally defined by compartment models, signifying the rate at which a drug is expelled from the body. However, a noncompartmental model offers an alternative method for assessing clearance, primarily employing empirical data obtained after administering a single drug dose.
The noncompartmental approach capitalizes on extensive sampling data, correlating the volume of distribution to systemic exposure and the administered dosage. This method enables...
The noncompartmental approach capitalizes on extensive sampling data, correlating the volume of distribution to systemic exposure and the administered dosage. This method enables...
100
01:15Drug Dosage Regimen: Overview
3.8K
A drug dosage regimen describes the specific instructions and schedule for administering a drug to a patient. It considers factors such as drug dosage, frequency, route of administration, and duration of treatment. Designing an appropriate dosage regimen for a patient aims to achieve a target drug concentration at the site of action.
Typically, the starting dose and dosing interval are guided by the manufacturer's recommendations based on clinical trials conducted during and after drug...
Typically, the starting dose and dosing interval are guided by the manufacturer's recommendations based on clinical trials conducted during and after drug...
3.8K
01:20Compartment Models: Two-Compartment Model
5.9K
The two-compartment model divides the body into central and peripheral compartments to account for varying blood perfusion rates among organs and tissues, affecting drug distribution. The central compartment includes blood and highly perfused tissues with rapid drug distribution, while the peripheral compartment contains tissues with slower drug distribution. After a single IV bolus dose, the drug concentration is high in plasma and low in tissues. The drug distribution between compartments...
5.9K
01:12Two-Compartment Open Model: Extravascular Administration
305
The two-compartment model for extravascular administration represents a drug's absorption and distribution process. It features a central compartment, where the drug is first absorbed, and a peripheral compartment, which illustrates the drug's distribution throughout the body. The rate of change in drug concentration in the central compartment is calculated by three exponents: absorption, distribution, and elimination.
The absorption exponent (ka) indicates the speed at which the drug...
The absorption exponent (ka) indicates the speed at which the drug...
305