One of the biggest challenges hospital pharmacists face is ensuring that the time-consuming task of replenishing medication kits and trays is done accurately and efficiently. Many have heard of radio frequency identification (RFID) technology as a solution that can help eliminate human error while also saving time; However, the prospect of delving into a new technology might be daunting when dealing with an already packed schedule. The good news is that hospital pharmacy RFID automation is simple, powerful and a great solution for improving the management of medication kits and trays. Let's take a look at how RFID-enabled kit and tray automation works.
RFID-Enabled IntelliGuard® Pharmacy
IntelliGuard® Pharmacy System automates medication replenishment and inventory management using advanced RFID technology. When a kit or tray is returned to the pharmacy for refilling, it is placed in the Intelliguard® RFID Workstation where the system reads all product inventory and compares it against the precise PAR level and formulary specifics of that kit or tray.
All inventory is counted simultaneously by the system, with no need for item-level scanning or manual counting. More than 150 medications can be scanned in a matter of seconds - including high-density trays, multi-layer tackle boxes and overlapping labels. Any missing, expired or soon-to-expire medications are identified, and a medication pick list is generated so replenishment can happen quickly and accurately.
The Intelliguard® RFID System does not permit steps in the process to be missed or skipped. You always have the right drugs, in the right quantities—when and where you need them.
>>Learn more about the IntelliGuard® Pharmacy
How it Works: Tray Replenishment with Intelliguard® RFID in 3 Easy Steps
- Step 1: Place tray with RFID-tagged medications in IntelliGuard® Pharmacy. Press “scan.”
- Step 2: Missing, expired and soon-to-expire medications are highlighted on the screen. Replace as indicated on pick-list.
- Step 3: Press “scan” again. System confirms tray accuracy and prints Tray Detail Report, which is placed inside of the tray and includes: date/time the tray was restocked, who processed the tray, PAR quantities for each medication type and first medication to expire.
- Optional step for Technician – Pharmacy workflows: If pharmacy approval process has been configured, the pharmacist will simply scan the quarantined tray, confirm it is complete and error-free, and print the inventory detail report.
That’s it! This process only takes a couple of minutes.
(Please note that the above are examples and different workflows can be configured based on your hospital's requirements.)
>>Watch it Live: IntelliGuard® Pharmacy VIDEO
Click here to view a brief demonstration of the theIntelliGuard® Pharmacy.
Easily Manage Drug Recalls and Expirations with RFID
When inventory intervention is needed, such as during a drug recall, or to track medication expirations, the pharmacy can quickly and easily view reports to identify specific medications and their locations throughout the facility.
As noted by Arpit Mehta, PharmD, MPH, Pharmacy Operations Manager at Inova Fairfax Medical, with the IntelliGuard® Pharmacy “We don’t have to remember expiration dates, and the machine prints a detailed report list of all the meds and all the expiration dates. It highlights the earliest expiration dates and the whole process takes less than one minute.”
>>Read our Case Studies to see what customers have to say
Hospital Pharmacy RFID Automation – Encoding
For a quick refresher on how items are encoded so they can be used throughout the Intelliguard® RFID Ecosystem, view our blog post: How Intelliguard RFID Encoding Works.
Once your inventory is tagged and encoded, each vial’s unique identifier is placed into a relational database and utilized throughout the Intelliguard® system to enable effective, efficient and safe pharmaceutical inventory management processes. The IntelliGuard® Pharmacy is one solution in the Intelliguard® RFID Ecosystem.
Learn More About RFID Healthcare Technology
Learn more about Intelliguard® RFID Solutions on our website.
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