New system zeros in on zero medication errors

DMH’s goal of zero medication errors got a boost recently when the hospital entered the third and final phase of implementing an automated medication dispensing system.

The computerized system tracks and stores individual doses of medication for hospital patients and includes safeguards at every step to ensure that the correct patient is getting the exact medication at just the right time.

Staff log into the system, enter the patient’s name and are then guided through the system to obtain the medication for that patient. Scanning the barcode on the medicine container and on the patient’s wristband confirms that the medication is for the correct patient.

The hospital has more than 3,000 different drugs in its pharmacy and hospital personnel dispense nearly 3,000 doses of medicine each day.

DMH began planning for the new system in late 2003; implementation was complete in October 2005.

Since DMH started using the system, the steps involved in ordering a medication have been decreased saving staff time, medication errors have decreased and maintaining and reordering inventory has become faster and easier.

By 2010, bar coding systems for dispensing medicine will be required for all healthcare organizations.

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