Assessment of informatization for the dispensing of medications at a university hospital.
BACKGROUND
Informatics and automation are important tools for the reduction of work, errors and costs in a hospital pharmacy.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the structuring and function of an informatized system for the dispensing of medications and to assess its effect on nursing and pharmacy services during the period from 1997 to 2003.


METHODS
In this descriptive and retrospective study, we performed an analysis of documents addressing the structuring and implementation of the informatized medication dispensing system. In addition, we analyzed the perceptions of nurses, pharmacists and pharmacy assistants who participated in the structuring phase of the system when interviewed about the effect of informatization on administrative aspects (e.g., requisition of medications, presentation of the dispensed medication and system operationalization).


RESULTS
The major advantages provided by the new system were 1) the elimination of manual transcripts for prescribed medications, 2) increased speed, 3) better identification of the doses prescribed by physicians, 4) medication labels containing all necessary identification and 5) practicality and safety of optical bar code-based verification of the requested and dispensed medications.


CONCLUSIONS
The great majority of the interviewees considered the informatized medication supply system to be of good quality. Analysis of the data provided information that could contribute to the expansion and refinement of the system, provide support for studies regarding the utilization of medications and offer new perspectives for work and productivity.
Serafim
Sônia Aparecida Dias
SA
Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo - Ribeirão Preto/SP, Brazil.
Forster
Aldaisa Cassanho
AC
Simões
Maria Jacira Silva
MJ
Penaforte
Thais Rodrigues
TR
D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016303:Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems / Q000458:organization & administration*; D055695:Electronic Prescribing; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008510:Medication Systems, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000458:organization & administration; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
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