Robotic pharmacy??

[frozen_canadian]

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lincolnshire/8578049.stm

Boring day, cruising the web, came across this article. Just curious how pharmacists feel about this. Thoughts? The wave of the future?? Or will pharmacists always be needed to double check the drugs dispensed?

 

[eightball]

the name of the game is definitely changing with technology advancement,and we are bound to see this more in the future- but you will NEVER get rid of the human element in pharmacy.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/lincolnshire/8578049.stm

Boring day, cruising the web, came across this article. Just curious how pharmacists feel about this. Thoughts? The wave of the future?? Or will pharmacists always be needed to double check the drugs dispensed?

The problem with technology is that there is a human in the beginning and at the end of the chain. While I can see that being utilized in a hospital pharmacy where hospital pharmacist saves money by optimizing drug therapy (and the robots/tech does most of the prescription filling work), it is not efficient in the retail setting.

Remember that filling prescriptions which is what the robot is doing is under the task of technicians and automation and why we are there. It is the pharmacist that "okays" the order ensuring proper and optimized dosage, proper indication, no major drug interactions, and making sure that the product complies with strict pharmacy regulations.

Thus, I would not call it the wave of the future since everybody is utilizing the technology now (from chains to mail order).

 

[genesis09]

I've been at a retail pharmacy which does have Yamaha machines. They fill the medication in the vials and label them. However, sometimes they don't work. Had one which was spitting out vials, fortunately no one was in the way when it did it. I've had techs who put the wrong drug in the machine or did not change the manufacturer settings. Nothing is perfect.

 

[thedrunkenpharm]

I saw a video somewhere online of a pharmacy kiosk thing. When the patient enters the script, a live video of a pharmacist appears on a monitor and the pharmacist counsels the patient. After being counseled, the Rx is dispensed from the kiosk.

While not exactly completely robotic, it does show how to world of pharmacy is changing.

 

[eightball]

I saw a video somewhere online of a pharmacy kiosk thing. When the patient enters the script, a live video of a pharmacist appears on a monitor and the pharmacist counsels the patient. After being counseled, the Rx is dispensed from the kiosk.

While not exactly completely robotic, it does show how to world of pharmacy is changing.

Now, about ten years from now, with a few new legislations along with the institution of super high speed internet fiber network (1gig/sec transfer rates), this will happen in one variation or another.

The dispensing role of pharmacy is changing quite rapidly and anybody who does not realize that is in huge denial. This also explains the surge in clinical pharmacy/ residencies in the recent future.

 

[stevephhs016]

What Angry Pharmacist has to say about this.


http://www.theangrypharmacist.com/a...eed:+TheAngryPharmacist+(The+Angry+Pharmacist)