User Experiences with Automated Dispensing Cabinets in Hospital Wards: Field Study with Three Professional Groups

Medications are vital for patient care in hospitals, however, dispensing and administration errors can lead to negative outcomes. To reduce such errors, new technologies such as automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) are becoming more prevalent. Our study aimed to investigate the use and user experience (UX) of modern ADCs integrated into electronic health record (EHR) systems within hospital inpatient wards. We conducted a field study utilizing interview and observation methods with nurses, ward pharmacists and pharmacy technicians. Most participants had a positive UX with the ADCs and found that the cabinets not only improved the safety of the medication-dispensing process but also facilitated effective inventory management, monitoring, and locating medicines. While ADCs offer significant benefits, currently the main challenges were related to slowness of the ADCs, lack of space, human errors and technical difficulties. ADCs integrated with EHRs offer numerous advantages for healthcare professionals, but technical problems and space issues should be considered. Streamlining the medication process is crucial to facilitate the implementation of ADCs.