Pharmacist work activity before and after pharmacy department computerization

Abstract

The effects of a dedicated computer system on pharmacists' daily activities at a 363-bed hospital were studied. A one-group pretest-posttest design was used. Twenty-four pharmacists recorded activity frequency and time for seven consecutive days several months before and after a pharmacy computer system was implemented. The computer system could be used for printing unit dose fill lists and i.v. labels, entering data, and printing patient profiles. An admissions, discharge, and transfer interface between the hospital system and the pharmacy system was also operational. The data were organized into 28 activities for analysis. For seven activities that were considered directly affected by computerization, a net 0.1-minute increase in the average time was found. Four of those seven showed an increase in average time (a total of 1.86 minutes): (1) calculating the composition of total parenteral nutrient or i.v. solution, (2) compounding large-volume i.v. solution, (3) profiling orders, and (4) checking the work of pharmacy technicians. The other three showed a decrease in average time (a total of 1.76 minutes): (1) preparing syringe or small-volume i.v. solution, (2) monitoring drug profiles, and (3) dispensing unit dose medications. However, with all 28 activities considered, a 1.03-minute decrease occurred in the average time per activity. Installation of a dedicated pharmacy computer decreased the amount of time pharmacists spent performing 28 activities by an average of 1.03 minutes per activity but increased the amount of time spent on activities directly affected by the computer by an average of 0.1 minute per activity.