Seminar LM3: In search of the value of automation

Linked to EAHP Statements:
Section 1: Introductory Statements and Governance 
Section 3: Production and Compounding
Section 5: Patient Safety and Quality Assurance 

ACPE UAN: 0475-0000-17-009-L04-P. A knowledge based activity.

Abstract

Reducing medication errors, improving quality and controlling the integral costs of the medication distribution process remains of the utmost importance. In securing a closed loop hospital pharmacists rely on methodologies like Failure mode and effects analysis, lean management and business process redesign. Automating (parts of the) medication distribution process seem obvious. High investment sums and implementation difficulties on the other hand raise new managerial topics which to be dealt with.

The value of automation can be identified and calculated on different domains such as: medication safety, medication use, medication spillage, inventory costs, staffing capacity, patient and staff satisfaction and the speed or flexibility of the process. Dealing with the many stakeholders in the hospital, the pharmacist has to ‘sell’ these benefits to account for the investment, implementation and operational costs.

With a positive balance in the business case for automation hospital pharmacists play a crucial role in the process, project you might call it, towards the optimal solution. This process can be divided in four stages: decision making, procurement, implementation and operations. All stages require a specific approach to success.

Learning objectives

After the seminar, the participant should be able to:
• identify and quantify all costs and benefits of automation solutions in the medication distribution process;
• explain the benefits of the automation solution to all relevant stakeholders;
• operate the entire project towards a successful implementation.

Keywords: safety, cost benefits, necessity for HPs, invest in the future, change management

* No conflict of interest has been declared.