Applications of Computer in Hospital Pharmacy (From Manual)

Maintenance of Individual Patient Records

• Patient information: name, address, phone, email, weight, age.
• Medication history, allergies, and laboratory records.
• Current treatment and financial records.
• Physician details, drug interactions, and directions.

Purchasing and Inventory Control

• Detecting items that reached minimum order level.
• Preparing drug order lists and avoiding duplicate orders.
• Managing infrequently purchased items for returns or elimination.
• Producing summary and inventory statistics.

Drug Database

• Dosage, formulations, and interactions (pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic).
• Side effects, generic alternatives, and pricing.
• Easy addition, removal, and updating of database items and inventory.

Processing and Billing

• Managing prescriptions and order processing.
• Automatically generating invoices for billing purposes.

Reporting

• Daily sales, purchases, inventory, and stock reports.
• Supplier and client lists, top-selling medications, and earnings.
• Pending bills and other critical data.

Workflow Processes

• Defining categories for inventory (e.g., chemicals, drugs, surgical items).
• Setting critical stock levels and organized workflows.

Suppliers and Automation

• Adding suppliers and creating/sending orders directly from the software.
• Automating repetitive tasks such as billing, refills, and prescription verification.

Medication Management and System Features

Medication Management with HMS

• Real-time tracking of medications.
• Accurate prescribing with expiration date monitoring and restocking alerts.

Streamlined Prescriptions

• Warnings for medication interactions.
• Dosage advice for simplified and accurate prescribing.

Communication Features

• Floor pharmacies.
• Other hospital departments, ensuring smooth operations.

Electronic Health Record (EHR) (From Model Answer)

Definition: An electronic health record (EHR) is a digitally recorded systematized collection of patient and population health information. These records can be exchanged throughout many health-care settings. Records are exchanged via networked, enterprise-wide information systems or other information networks and exchanges.

Advantages/Benefits of Electronic Health Record:

1. EHR provides a summary of the various healthcare events in the life of a person.
2. It collects all accurate and complete information from patient records which help to provide evidence-based treatment.
3. Patient information can be accessed from any place.
4. Data can be easily captured or transferred from one device to another.
5. Errors can be reduced with Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems as all the information is capable of reading easily which further reduces the risk of miscommunication between system users.
6. EHR systems can be connected directly to medical devices which trigger alerts upon a significant change in a patient\'s health.
7. The EHR systems maintain patients\' information in a more secure manner compared to paper-based systems.
8. EHR increases accuracy and faster diagnosis that determines the most suitable medications for diseases, and monitoring the patient\'s health in the future.
9. It helps to avoid repeating unnecessary investigations.
10. EHRs are useful for tracking and monitoring diseases.
11. EHR helps in selecting the most efficient paths of treatments.
12. It provides effective, safe and efficient healthcare services, and decreases the cost of health care.
13. It reduces cost through decreased paperwork, improved safety, and reduced duplication of the testing & improved health.
14. Enhancing privacy & security of patient data.

Different Software Used in Pharmacy (From Model Answer)

• Electronic health record (EHR) software: E.g. eClinical Works, Allscripts, Nextgenclinic
• Medical billing software: e.g. Epic care
• Hospital management software: E.g. Availity
• Medical equipment management software: E.g. Sortly
• Medical research software: E.g. Pubmed.gov
• E-prescribing software: E.g. MediTab, ScriptSure
• Telemedicine software:
• Therapeutic drug monitoring: E.g. WinNONLIN, USC Pack
• Personal Health Record software (medical diaries): E.g. Tulipa app

Pharmacy Management Software (PMS)

This software helps to achieve two business goals:

1. It helps automate the pharmacy workflow more efficiently.
2. It provides better customer experience and improves patients outcomes by attracting them.