Describe point-of-use dispensing

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Some computerized hospital pharmacies are using point-of-use dispensing of drugs—a decentralized, automated system. Adoption of this technology in health care started slowly, with only about 50 percent of hospitals using automated dispensing cabinets (ADCs) in 1999 . By 2005, close to 72 percent of acute care facilities had implemented these units, and by 2009, 80 percent of hospitals used ADCs.
An ADC uses a small computer attached to a large cabinet sits at the nursing unit. It is networked to the hospital pharmacy computer. A nurse types a password, and the unit displays a list of patients. The nurse selects the patient and enters the drug order, and the computer delivers it by opening the drawer containing the medication. The nurse enters the name of the drug and closes the drawer. The computer keeps track of all drug transactions, for billing and inventory purposes. It "counts, dispenses and tracks medications within the hospital." It can generate a variety of reports on patients, drug usage, and nurses.
In 2003, the first automated drug dispensing units located in patients' rooms were introduced. Doctors can use them to enter prescriptions. The bedside system scans the nurse's badge, the patient's wristband, and the medication's barcode. It is linked to databases of information that will help avoid medication errors. It can also keep track of inventory.