Why Automation is Critical in the Pharmacy?

Pharmacy automation has existed since the 1960s, yet full automation is still a long way away for most pharmacies. Automation in Pharmacy is not just about using robotics to replace human labor. It describes any process that leverages technology to reduce repetitive tasks, such as dispensing, packaging, tracking, updating, and retrieval of medication. and streamline workflows. Rather, the ability to release pharmacy staff from tedious administrative tasks means they can focus on providing better care and expanding services to patients.

Pharmacy automation is a fast-growing segment. According to a new report, the global pharmacy automation market size was estimated at US$ 6.16 billion in 2021 and is expected to hit around US$ 12.35 billion by 2030 with a registered CAGR of 8.04% from 2022 to 2030. The growth of the market is being driven by the growing need for devices, such as automated dispensing cabinets, automated medication storage, and barcoded unit dose packaging systems that help in reducing medication errors. Why automation is critical in the pharmacy? Here we list four benefits of automation in pharmacies.

Medication errors due to pharmacy mistakes cost $4.4 billion annually in the US and 7,000 Americans die every year due to drug dispensing errors including errors made in hospitals. The most common medication errors in hospitals are due to miscalculated dosage, failure to identify potential drug interactions, and dispensing incorrect medications, dosage strength, or form. Human errors are clearly huge risk factors for both patients and pharmacists. They can be greatly reduced with pharmacy automation solutions. With the support of automated counting, barcode technology, and other automation technologies, pharmacists can take control of their workflow, increase their pharmacy accuracy and efficiency and avoid preventable dispensing errors while prescribing, administrating, and dispensing medications.

According to a report by the National Centre for Health Statistics, about 46 percent of people in the US take prescription drugs. Manual efforts at a pharmacy won’t be enough to keep up with the increasing need for prescription drugs in the US. Automation will help scale up the process and spike up the productivity of staff. With more time at hand, they can spend more time with patients and improve the patient experience.

Pharmacy automation produces a large amount of data. Automation technology can provide pharmacy managers with valuable insights into the performance of their pharmacies and any resources required to improve their patient care. By using data analytics, pharmacists can understand what has happened, forecast what might happen based on historical data, and develop actionable insights to drive better decision making.

For a successful and smooth run of a pharmacy, you need to have better control over the inventory. By automating, pharmacists can easily identify inventory shortages, track expiration dates, receive alerts, and query the real-time logs of medications accessed by users. Increased visibility into inventory help pharmacists to have adequate stock on hand according to the actual needs. This further reduces the risk of inventory shortages and the wastage of medications.

NuboMed is dedicated to provide pharmacy automation solutions to better help you reduce medication errors, optimize medication inventory, improve patient safety and monitor performance progress. The goal is to more optimal outcomes for your patient and pharmacy. Learn how to take your pharmacy business and patient care to the next level by contacting us.