Medication dispensing is essential to the smooth function and operation of any healthcare institution. utilizing a medication dispensing system in healthcare institutions will ensure accurate and safe patient care.
Learn more about how medication dispensing systems can improve medication management, patient care, and inventory management.
Understanding Medication Dispensing Systems: A Comprehensive Overview
Dispensing medication adds value to your practice as a clinician. When physicians dispense medications, they are able to provide patients with the drugs they need right from their own offices.
Medication dispensing has been part of the healthcare sphere for hundreds of years. As we look at the history of medication dispensing in healthcare, we must consider what it means for the future of the medical field as a whole.
The Evolution of Medication Dispensing in Healthcare
In 1982, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved medication dispensing by physicians. This included changing the medication packaging as needed for healthcare purposes. By 1985, Congress had passed laws that enshrined physicians’ rights to dispense medication indefinitely.
By the 1990s, medication dispensing was becoming time-consuming and expensive for physicians. They needed ways to optimize medication management without taking resources away from their practices. That’s when convenient medication dispensing systems and solutions began to take the healthcare world by storm.
Benefits of Implementing Medication Dispensing Solutions
There are several benefits to implementing in-office medication dispensing systems. Many case studies have shown that patient care and satisfaction improve when patient medications, including controlled substances, are managed through dispensing systems.
One of the major advantages of offering the right medication for patients in your own office is convenience. Physicians can circumvent using pharmacy services and offer pharmaceutical care directly to their patients. Medication dispensing brings more income to your practice through direct pharmaceutical care for patients. More income means better practices all around.
Another big problem when it comes to prescribed medications and their efficacy is patient compliance. In-office medication dispensing systems can improve your patients’ health outcomes by increasing medication compliance.
The Core Components of Medication Dispensing Systems
Medication management looks different at each institution. However, the core traits of medication dispensing solutions are the same: they provide convenience and reduce medication errors throughout the healthcare system. Here’s what you need to know about how medication dispensing systems work.
Automation software has changed many facets of the modern world, including pharmaceutical and healthcare systems. Automated medication dispensing systems take care of inventory management and patient safety for you; all you have to do is use the systems properly.
Safe medication administration relies on accurate packaging and labeling. Pharmacy staff are usually trained in this important skill, but pharmacists are not always the direct point of care for patients. As a result, automated medication dispensing systems are necessary to ensure accurate, efficient medication dispensing.
Prepackaged Medications: Simplifying Dispensing Processes
Prepackaged medications make life a whole lot easier for providers and patients alike. Physician dispensing prepackaged and accurately labeled drugs ensures that regulatory standards are met every single time.
Healthcare providers can benefit immensely from prepackaged medications. The labels are sure to be accurate and give pertinent information to healthcare providers as they work through inventory management and patient care.
Providers save time (and money) by selecting from prepackaged drug options when caring for patients. Instead of searching for the right patient’s prescription and manually filling it, prepackaging allows providers to deliver the right medication directly to the patient.
Prepackaged medications can be used to promote medication safety and avoid missed-dose errors. This is especially true in hospital settings, but they can also benefit private practices and primary care offices. Customizing prepackaged medications is the first step toward effective medication use and administration.
In-Office Physician Dispensing: Enhancing Patient Convenience
In-office physician dispensing saves time, money, and medication errors across the board. From direct notifications to safe medication storage, in-office dispensing offers a wealth of physician and patient benefits. In-office dispensing is becoming more common as the number of private practices and primary care offices in the U.S. increases.
Patients benefit from in-office dispensing systems as well. By dispensing medication directly from their offices, providers, and clinicians can provide patients with their care plans and prescriptions in one place.
Lower medication costs and convenient prescription pickup options are two of the biggest benefits for patients. When you have on-site medication dispensing, you offer a one-stop location for patients to get what they need — after you’ve provided them with premium care.
The Workflow of Medication Dispensing Systems
In-office medication dispensing systems make everything run smoothly in healthcare. The process involves three major steps: prescription input, medication selection, and patient labeling.
First, providers must key in prescriptions and have the system verify them with the patient’s electronic medical records. This includes inputting the patient info if not already in the system, and then choosing the medications to dispense.
Once the prescription has been verified, medication dispensing systems must begin medication selection. When utilizing a dispensing system like Proficient Rx’s the medication is sent to the office prepackaged and is not done onsite. The label is then printed from the dispensing software and applied to the bottle. The limits of dosage and quantity issues among others could happen if packaging was done manually.
Ensuring Patient Safety and Medication Accuracy
Cross-checking prevents barcode errors and open dispensing devices from compromising patient safety. By checking with other records in the system, automated medication dispensing systems can ensure accuracy and proper adherence to prescription instructions.
Without medication verification and cross-checking, patients are susceptible to adverse reactions and medication errors. These can be life-threatening, which is why it’s so important to use medication dispensing systems.
Real-Time Prescription Tracking and Reporting
Tracking and recording prescriptions are essential steps for patient safety. Medication dispensing systems offer this very important benefit to keep prescriptions on the right timelines and accurate doses.
Some of the key functions of medication dispensing systems include:
- Monitoring prescription fills and refills
- Generating reports for physician and pharmacy use
- Improving medication adherence through tracking
- Integrating EMRs with Pharmacist Systems
These functions protect patients and clinicians from dangerous or even fatal medication errors.
Integration With Healthcare Networks and Providers
Healthcare providers do not work alone. Most patients have multiple clinicians on their teams, which means integration within healthcare networks is key. Medication dispensing solutions aim to manage medication outcomes and connect providers through concise, accurate electronic systems.
Part of automated medication systems is the sharing of dispensing data with hospitals and clinics. By facilitating seamless care transitions, medication dispensing systems are making patients’ and providers’ lives easier. This also promotes collaborative medication management with referring providers.
Compliance With Laws and Regulations
Medication dispensing solutions should be just that: solutions to inconveniences that clinicians and patients face. Our systems comply with all state and federal dispensing regulations, no matter where you are in the country.
These systems also adhere to controlled substance management and DEA requirements to avoid medication misuse and overprescription. This helps prevent substance misuse and addiction among vulnerable patient populations.
Dispensing systems address HIPAA and patient privacy with tight regulations and quality control measures. There should never be a breach of patient privacy when using medication dispensing systems.
Overcoming Challenges and Best Practices
Like any technology on the market, there are challenges to navigate. For instance, medication dispensing requires extreme accuracy and quality control. For that reason, we make sure to offer staff training so they can adapt to medication dispensing procedures.
We ensure ongoing system maintenance and upgrades to keep things flowing smoothly at your office. Our medication management systems take efficiency and patient safety seriously. As technology grows and changes, so do our quality control measures.
Embrace Better Medication Management With Proficient Rx
The future of medication dispensing solutions is bright. Helping providers and patients have the best medication experiences possible means we’re contributing to a better healthcare system each day. Embrace advanced systems for enhanced patient care and practice success. Contact us to get started today.