Title 27. COMPUTER APPLICATIONS IN PHARMACY.pdf ✅

PHARMD GURU Page 2 illness, patient monitoring (blood pressure, pulse rate, temperature, etc.). b) Lab-Diagnostic System – Automates lab tests and generates computerized reports. c) Patient Monitoring System – Identifies patient abnormalities such as cardiac arrest, CT scans, ECG, ultrasound, etc. d) Pharma Information System – Identifies drug labels, expiry dates, side effects, etc. e) Surgery – Computers are also used in performing surgeries. PATIENT RECORD DATABASE MANAGEMENT: Computer technology provides many applications in hospital pharmacy, like:  Reducing the workload of practitioners  Eliminating the need for manual patient records  Providing easy access to patient data 1) ELECTRONIC PATIENT RECORDS IN PHARMACIES: Pharmacies now access electronic patient records, with patient consent, to:  Retrieve medication history  Analyze prescribing errors  Ensure accurate medication dispensing 2) ADVANTAGES OF ELECTRONIC PATIENT RECORDS: a) Efficient Data Review – Pharmacists can analyze numerical data to make accurate drug therapy recommendations. b) Access to Critical Data – Clinical pharmacists can quickly locate antibiotic orders, renal function assessments, and blood pressure values to ensure correct treatment. c) Clarification of Missing Data – If a chart mentions an allergy (e.g., penicillin allergy) but lacks specific details, the pharmacist can investigate further. d) Security – Electronic records are stored securely and backed up to prevent loss due to fire, disaster, or system failures. e) Safety – Automated drug-to-drug and drug-to-allergy interaction checks ensure patient safety by reducing prescription errors.
PHARMD GURU Page 3 MEDICATION ORDERS ENTRY: Prescription processing is one of the main activities in a pharmacy. Computers enhance reliability and efficiency in this process. 1) MEDICATION ORDER MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (MOMS): An electronic based tracking tool that:  Automates order processing and tracking.  Ensures hospital pharmacies maintain safety standards.  Reduces errors in prescription handling. 2) BENEFITS OF COMPUTERIZED MEDICATION ORDER SYSTEMS:  Improves productivity, quality, and nurse satisfaction.  Enhances operational efficiency and patient safety. 3) STEPS IN MEDICATION ORDER PROCESSING: a) Ordering – The clinician selects the appropriate medication, dose, and frequency. b) Transcribing – If handwritten, prescriptions must be accurately interpreted. c) Dispensing – The pharmacist verifies drug interactions and allergies before dispensing. d) Administration – Medication is provided to the patient at the correct dosage and time. 4) CLINICAL DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS (CDSS): Medication Order Systems often integrate CDSS, which:  Suggests default values for drug doses and administration routes  Checks for drug-drug interactions and allergies  Prevents medication errors A CDSS can also detect high-risk prescriptions (e.g., preventing nephrotoxic drugs in a patient with elevated creatinine levels).
PHARMD GURU Page 4 DRUG LABELS AND LIST: a) DRUG LABELS: Computerized Medication Order Management Systems allow prescribers to create a structured sig while also offering two additional fields:  Special Instructions – Transmitted to the pharmacy for label printing (e.g., "Do not drive while taking" or "Avoid sun exposure").  Comments – Sometimes contradict the sig (e.g., "Once daily" but with a comment saying "Take two times a day on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday"), leading to confusion, delays, and labeling errors. b) DRUG LISTS: Some Medication Order Management Systems list drugs alphabetically. Most systems allow:  Browsing (picking a drug from a list).  Searching (entering a drug name manually). Auto-Complete Feature: Predicts what the user is typing and includes:  Auto-Suggest – Provides suggestions while typing.  Auto-Fill – Completes the drug name based on common searches. INTRAVENOUS SOLUTION AND ADMIXTURE:  Barcode Verification Technology combined with Electronic Medication Administration Records (eMAR) is used to reduce medication administration errors.  eMAR System Benefits:  Electronically receives patient profiles from the pharmacy system.  Reduces transcription errors (no need for manual order entry).  Ensures real-time verification at the bedside using barcode/eMAR scanning.  By using computerized systems, intravenous (IV) solutions and admixtures can be prescribed and administered accurately and safely.  Smart Pumps integrated into medication systems further improve safety by ensuring accurate IV medication administration.