Computerized Services:
Pharmacy Management Systems (PMS):
These systems assist in dispensing medications, managing inventory, processing prescriptions, and billing.
They often integrate with electronic health records (EHR) to provide seamless care.
Drug Interaction Alerts:
When medications are dispensed or prescribed, computerized systems can instantly check for potential drug-drug or drug-food interactions, prompting the healthcare professional to review the interaction before proceeding.
Barcode Scanning:
Modern pharmacy practices include scanning barcodes on medications to reduce dispensing errors.
This ensures the right patient gets the right medication at the right dose.
Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADC):
Found in many hospitals, these cabinets dispense medications in a controlled manner, tracking usage, and reducing errors.
Telepharmacy:
Computerized services have facilitated remote consultation and dispensing, allowing pharmacists to cater to patients who may not have physical access to a pharmacy.
Storage and Retrieval of Information:
Electronic Health Records (EHR):
These digital versions of patient charts store all of a patient’s medical history from multiple sources.
Pharmacists can access these to get a comprehensive view of a patient's medications, allergies, lab results, and more.
Digital Drug Databases:
Pharmacists can quickly access detailed drug information, including pharmacokinetics, dosing, side effects, and contraindications.
Examples include Micromedex, Lexicomp, and the PDR.
Pharmacy Data Warehousing:
Data warehouses store vast amounts of patient and drug data.
Analyzing this data can provide insights into drug usage patterns, potential medication-related problems, or areas of improvement in pharmaceutical care.
Searchable Literature Databases:
Resources like PubMed or Embase allow pharmacists to search for clinical studies, review articles, and other academic sources to make evidence-based decisions.
Mobile Applications:
Many modern drug information resources are now available as apps for smartphones or tablets, allowing pharmacists and other healthcare professionals to access critical information on-the-go.
Cloud Storage:
With the advent of cloud technologies, pharmacies can securely store patient data and retrieve it as needed, facilitating collaboration among healthcare professionals.