Intelligent-Driven Evolution of Pharmacy Services
Our hospital is dedicated to creating a patient-centric smart healthcare environment by integrating innovative technology with professional medical expertise. We have established a comprehensive personalized medication recommendation and precision dispensing management system. Our intelligent medication recommendation platform, combined with patient location tracking technology, enables end-to-end medication monitoring and real-time risk management. This system was honored with the Gold Medal and Creativity Award in the Thematic Category at the 25th National Healthcare Quality Award (NHQA) in 2024.
The system features automated identification of look-alike/sound-alike (LASA) medications, maintaining a complete list and implementing six countermeasures to minimize medication error risks. Our developed digital dispensing support system employs a three-tiered safety mechanism—covering dispensing, verification, and administration—tracking the flow of every medication dose and significantly enhancing medication accuracy.
A particularly noteworthy innovation is the "Precision Patient Location Tracking" feature. Using positioning wristbands worn by patients, this function allows healthcare staff to continuously monitor patient movements, ensuring individuals on high-risk medications receive timely reminders and monitoring during administration times. This feature seamlessly integrates with the personalized medication recommendation system; if the system detects that a patient's location or physiological state might affect medication efficacy, it automatically adjusts dosage recommendations and alerts medical staff.
To enhance patients' ability to identify their medications, we developed a multi-dimensional medication information zoning design for drug bags, combined with a nationwide pioneering customized medication name labeling error-prevention system. This helps patients easily understand their medication information. The drug bag design includes a red-orange-green visual identification system, intuitively guiding patients on the risk level of their medications.
The system's implementation has yielded remarkable results: the dispensing error rate plummeted from a pre-improvement rate of 8.29 ppm to 3.3 ppm, surpassing the target goal. The estimated annual socio-economic benefit is approximately NT$3.4 million. Concurrently, it has enhanced interdisciplinary communication and fostered total quality management capabilities.
Guided by the core principle "Patient Safety is Our Responsibility," our hospital has leveraged five nationwide pioneering innovations—including a real-time tracking system for medication dispensing flow and a dedicated printing system for dispensing counters—combined with AI and advanced technologies to create a safe and precise medication environment. In close collaboration with various medical teams and IT professionals, we continuously drive technological innovation and process optimization, ensuring the safety and accuracy of every patient's medication journey and elevating the overall quality of medical services.
