Three ways technology is improving the pharmaceutical industry

Technology in pharmacy is nothing new, with e-prescribing coming on board more than a decade ago. In November 2005, CMS published the first set of adopted standards that applied to e-prescribing under Part D of the Medicare Modernization Act.

Between December 2008 and April 2014, the percent of doctors e-prescribing using an electronic health record (EHR) increased from 7% to 70%, according to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

But that was just a start for the industry, which now embraces information exchange via EHRs, drug barcoding, computerized physician order entry, robotic dispensaries, automated medication identification, prior authorization, and drug verification.

GaleotaNicholas Galeota, director of pharmacy, SUNY Downstate Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York, says EHRs, e-prescribing and barcoding help ensure safety, such as avoiding overdosing, prescription errors and contraindicated drugs.

“The human eye can’t pick up every error or issue; you need a computer with certain criteria embedded,” he says. He points to “smart” infusion pumps, which have software that allows organizations to create a library of medications to help providers program and calculate dose and delivery rates, preventing errors and patient injury.

Technology that improves retail pharmacy safety

While technology is improving safety on the patient-provider side, retail pharmacies are also recognizing the benefits of technology.

PintoTiffany Natural Pharmacy, Westfield, New Jersey, has adopted the use of barcoded drug labels based on the National Drug Code to ensure accountability. The information in a barcode enables a comparison of a medication being administered with what was ordered for a patient so that patients receive the right drugs at the right time.

Brian Pinto, pharmacist-in-charge and owner of the five-store pharmacy that dispenses 2,200 prescriptions a week, says the business is deploying other technology to ensure safety and accountability.

A counting device called the Eyecon, integrated with the pharmacy software system, reads a barcode and displays pertinent information related to a prescription, such as quantity, patient name and drug name. Either a technician or pharmacist scans the barcodes on a prescription label and on a stock bottle to ensure they match.

A technician/pharmacist places the medication on a tray that counts the quantity and once it reaches the right amount, a screen displays a green light, allowing the pills to be dispensed after the Eyecon takes a photo of the tray. These pictures are readily available from the pharmacy software system.

Pinto says the next frontier is medication delivery to homebound patients. Patient signatures will be recorded with an iPad at the point of delivery.

While Pinto says he is not sure if technology has really saved him money, he knows he has reduced prescription errors and waste by ensuring the right drugs and doses are prescribed. “We are trying to stay on par with chains while still offering one-on-one, personal service,” he says.

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