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Work-sampling evaluation of an upgraded outpatient pharmacy computer system
American Journal of Hospital Pharmacy
|April 1, 1983
Summary
An upgraded outpatient pharmacy computer system shifted pharmacist time from patient counseling to prescription coding. While staff activities changed, overall efficiency improvements from the new system were inconclusive.
Area of Science:
- Health Sciences
- Pharmacy Practice
- Health Informatics
Background:
- Outpatient pharmacies are critical for medication dispensing and patient care.
- Computer systems play a vital role in managing pharmacy operations and improving efficiency.
- Upgrades to pharmacy computer systems aim to enhance patient safety and streamline workflows.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the impact of an upgraded outpatient pharmacy computer system on dispensing activities.
- To compare staff time allocation before and after the implementation of the new system.
- To assess changes in prescription processing, inventory management, problem-solving, and miscellaneous tasks.
Main Methods:
- A work-sampling technique was employed to analyze dispensing activities.
- Observations were conducted on staff using the upgraded system (5897 observations).
- Data were compared with a previous study of the old system (5632 observations).
Main Results:
- Significant changes in activity distribution were observed for pharmacists, technicians, and data-entry operators.
- Pharmacists dedicated more time to prescription coding and less time to patient counseling.
- The data-entry operator experienced a reduction in computer-entry time.
Conclusions:
- The upgraded pharmacy computer system altered staff workflow and time allocation.
- Pharmacist roles shifted towards more technical tasks like prescription coding.
- The study could not definitively conclude whether the new system improved overall operational efficiency.