The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes

Objective: To compare the frequency and seriousness of notified dispensing errors in nursing homes when medication is dispensed manually versus automatically using a specifically selected automatic dispensing system. Method: A pre-post retrospective observational study in 7 nursing homes. We comp...

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Main Authors: Idoia Beobide Telleria, Alex Ferro Uriguen, Blanca Miró Isasi, Silvia Martínez Arrechea, Maria Isabel Genua Goena
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2018-07-01
Series:Farmacia Hospitalaria
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.aulamedica.es/fh/pdf/10949.pdf
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author Idoia Beobide Telleria
Alex Ferro Uriguen
Blanca Miró Isasi
Silvia Martínez Arrechea
Maria Isabel Genua Goena
author_facet Idoia Beobide Telleria
Alex Ferro Uriguen
Blanca Miró Isasi
Silvia Martínez Arrechea
Maria Isabel Genua Goena
author_sort Idoia Beobide Telleria
collection DOAJ
description Objective: To compare the frequency and seriousness of notified dispensing errors in nursing homes when medication is dispensed manually versus automatically using a specifically selected automatic dispensing system. Method: A pre-post retrospective observational study in 7 nursing homes. We compare voluntarily notified dispensing errors in a manually dispensed weekly system on the one hand (year 2013), with an Automated Tablet Dispensing and Packaging System Xana4001U2 Tosho® for oral solid drugs used in combination with a manual system for other drug forms (year 2015), on the other. We analyze patient function, cognition and pharmacological data in two time periods. Results: Residents’ mean age (83.9 vs 83.6 years; p &gt; 0.05) and physical functioning (Barthel index 41.8 vs 44.2; p &gt; 0.05) were similar, but not cognitive functioning (MMSE 20.3 vs 21.7; p < 0.0,5). During the year previous to the automated dispensing, 408 errors were detected with the manual system, whereas only 36 were detected in the following year with the automated system. This represents a reduction of 91% in dispensing errors. 43 errors reached the patient during the manually dispensing versus 6 during the automated year. And 5 errors versus 1 required monitoring. Conclusions: The introduction of an automatic tablet dispensing and packaging system has shown to be an important improvement in safety in the dispensing and administration of solid drugs in nursing homes. The voluntary notification of errors has permitted the comparison of safety during two time periods with different dispensing systems.
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spelling doaj-art-52f70ee9a9fc4242a1dde93fc80e115b2025-01-02T16:48:24ZengElsevierFarmacia Hospitalaria1130-63432171-86952018-07-0142414114610.7399/fh.10949The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homesIdoia Beobide Telleria0Alex Ferro Uriguen1Blanca Miró Isasi2Silvia Martínez Arrechea3Maria Isabel Genua Goena4Servicio de Farmacia, Hospital Ricardo Bermingham (Fundación Matia), San SebastiánServicio de Farmacia, Hospital Ricardo Bermingham (Fundación Matia), San SebastiánServicio de Farmacia, Hospital Ricardo Bermingham (Fundación Matia), San SebastiánServicio de Farmacia, Hospital Ricardo Bermingham (Fundación Matia), San SebastiánServicio de Farmacia, Hospital Ricardo Bermingham (Fundación Matia), San SebastiánObjective: To compare the frequency and seriousness of notified dispensing errors in nursing homes when medication is dispensed manually versus automatically using a specifically selected automatic dispensing system. Method: A pre-post retrospective observational study in 7 nursing homes. We compare voluntarily notified dispensing errors in a manually dispensed weekly system on the one hand (year 2013), with an Automated Tablet Dispensing and Packaging System Xana4001U2 Tosho® for oral solid drugs used in combination with a manual system for other drug forms (year 2015), on the other. We analyze patient function, cognition and pharmacological data in two time periods. Results: Residents’ mean age (83.9 vs 83.6 years; p &gt; 0.05) and physical functioning (Barthel index 41.8 vs 44.2; p &gt; 0.05) were similar, but not cognitive functioning (MMSE 20.3 vs 21.7; p < 0.0,5). During the year previous to the automated dispensing, 408 errors were detected with the manual system, whereas only 36 were detected in the following year with the automated system. This represents a reduction of 91% in dispensing errors. 43 errors reached the patient during the manually dispensing versus 6 during the automated year. And 5 errors versus 1 required monitoring. Conclusions: The introduction of an automatic tablet dispensing and packaging system has shown to be an important improvement in safety in the dispensing and administration of solid drugs in nursing homes. The voluntary notification of errors has permitted the comparison of safety during two time periods with different dispensing systems.http://www.aulamedica.es/fh/pdf/10949.pdfNursing homesMedication errors; AutomationRisk managementPatient safety
spellingShingle Idoia Beobide Telleria
Alex Ferro Uriguen
Blanca Miró Isasi
Silvia Martínez Arrechea
Maria Isabel Genua Goena
The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes
Farmacia Hospitalaria
Nursing homes
Medication errors
; Automation
Risk management
Patient safety
title The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes
title_full The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes
title_fullStr The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes
title_full_unstemmed The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes
title_short The impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes
title_sort impact of automation on the safety of drug dispensing in nursing homes
topic Nursing homes
Medication errors
; Automation
Risk management
Patient safety
url http://www.aulamedica.es/fh/pdf/10949.pdf
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