Inexpensive microcomputer for intravenous admixture service applications

A microcomputer system for maintaining data on intravenous piggyback (IVPB) admixture use and for generating labels for IVPB admixtures is described. The system was developed in a 558-bed hospital where the pharmacy compounds 500-800 i.v. admixtures daily. The objectives were to (1) provide an electronic profile with quick patient-search capabilities, (2) reduce time spent and errors occurring in labeling, (3) decrease duplication and consequent waste of admixtures, and (4) improve collection of drug-use statistics. Software was developed by the pharmacist to achieve these objectives. When a drug order is entered, files are automatically searched for duplication. Every 24 hours, labels for the entire patient profile are printed and statistics are generated on types of drugs used, number of each type of drug, total number of patients on IVPBs, and total number of IVPBs. A user's manual was developed and staff-training sessions were held before the system was implemented. In the first 24 months of operation, most computer downtime was caused by hardware problems. Four man-hours per day were saved in typing time (+7000 annual cost reduction). Waste of approximately six admixtures daily was prevented (+5000 annual savings). Total software development and implementation cost +5000, and hardware cost +4200. The total cost of the system was thus realized during the first year of operation.