title: Assessment of informatization for the dispensing of medications at a university hospital.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto da Universidade de São Paulo - Ribeirão Preto/SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sônia Aparecida Dias
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Serafim
authors.forename: Aldaisa Cassanho
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Forster
authors.forename: Maria Jacira Silva
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Thais Rodrigues
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Penaforte
mesh_terms: 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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