The Importance of Computers in Pharmacy Practice
Session 3: The Importance of Computers in Pharmacy Practice
Total Session Time: 120 minutes + 4hrs field trip
Prerequisites
Session 2
Learning Tasks
By the end of this session students are expected to be able to:
List Advantage and Disadvantage of Using Computers in Pharmacy
HCAP
List Areas Where Computer can be Used in Pharmacy Field
Explain the Use of Computer in Dispensing
Resources Needed:
Flip charts, marker pens, and masking tape
Black/white board and chalk/whiteboard markers
Computer/ LCD projector
Field trip Guide 3.1: use of computer in dispensing
SESSION OVERVIEW
Step
Time
Activity/
Method
Content
1
05 minutes
Presentation
Presentation of Session Title and Learning Tasks
2
10 minutes
Presentation
History of Computer Application in Pharmacy
3
30 minutes
Presentation Brainstorming
Areas Where Computer Can be Used in Pharmacy Field
4
30 minutes
Small Group Discussion
Explanation the use of Computer in Dispensing
5
25 minutes
Presentation Buzzing
Advantage and Disadvantage of Using Computers in Pharmacy
6
05 minutes
Presentation
Key Points
7
5 minutes
Presentation
Evaluation
8
10 minutes
Presentation
Use of Computer in Dispensing Field Trip
SESSION CONTENTS
STEP1: Presentation of Session Title and Learning Tasks (5minutes)
READ or ASK students to read the learning tasks and clarify
ASK students if they have any questions before continuing
STEP 2: History of Computer Application in Pharmacy (10 minutes)
As with most health-care processes, pharmacy operations have been significantly changed by the advent of digital and computing technology
Computers are used for various tasks within a pharmacy, both in terms of how pharmaceutical personnel carry out their duties and handle patients
Pharmacy computing systems make use of resources, such as the Internet, although many pharmacies use custom-made software systems to carry out their daily activities
First commercial system was introduced in 1950;
It was large need large floor space ( vacuum tubes, more difficult part composition)
Second computer technology in 1960
It became smaller
It more compact economically and it was used by major businesses
remained too expensive
In 1970 the it was used by
Wholesales drugs
pharmaceutical manufactures
drug stores, drugs data for businesses
In 1980 Fourth generation of computers,
It became reach of the retail pharmacy
Then, the computer develop the micro processing “chip”
Right now computers and pharmacy go hand in hand.
STEP 3: Areas Where Computer can be Used in Pharmacy Field (30minutes)
Activity: Brainstorming (5 minutes)
Ask students to brainstorm on the following question:
What are the areas where computer can be used in pharmacy field?
ALLOW few students to respond?
WRITE their responses on the flip chart/ board
CLARIFY and SUMMARISE by using the content below
The following are the areas where computer can be used in pharmacy:
Pharmacy Train Institutions
Computers have revolutionized the way education is handled in the today’s world
In pharmaceutical education, computers are particularly useful because there is such a need for learning and presenting different pharmaceutical information
The field of medicine often relies on complex definitions of conditions and procedural techniques
If you are an educator, you can use the computer to show your students PowerPoint presentations that simplify the large amounts of text often needed in medical science
Stick to the basics in the visual presentations
You also may use computers to present video data of different drug strictures or for slide shows of diseases or traumas and their treatments
Pharmaceutical Industries
A further refinement of new drug design and production was provided by the process of computer-aided design (CAD)
With the availability of powerful computers and sophisticated graphics software, it is possible for the medicinal chemist to design new molecules and evaluate their effectiveness
The more important fact is that the computer will enable pharmaceutical personnel to discover new drugs for the complete care of dangerous diseases like aids, cancer etc. and reduce the cost of production of drugs for diseases which are easily cured
Pharmaceutical Research Centers
Computers are playing critical role pharmaceutical research in collecting, analyzing data, write the findings, format a paper for publication, find relevant studies on the Internet or print posters for medical conferences
In short without computers pharmacy research will be long-lasting and expensive
Hospital and Clinical pharmacy
Hospital pharmacy is division of hospital which monitors on the receiving and allotment of drugs and medicines and professional supplies, stores them and dispenses to inpatient, outpatient and may have a manufacturing extension to manufacture pharmaceutical
Clinical pharmacist may use computers for therapeutic drug monitoring; which are very potent and having very narrow therapeutic range like cardiac glycosides, anticonvulsants. Computer program are designed to calculate drug dosage to suit individual patients need
Wholesale /retail pharmacy shop
Computers are used by community pharmacy for various functions
Some accounting functions are like preparation of prescription label, providing a receipt for patient, generation a hard copy record of transactions, calculating total prescription cost, automatically ordering the low quantity products via electronic transitions, preparation of annual withholding payrolls
STEP 4: Explanations of the use of Computer in Dispensing (30 minutes)
Activity: Small Group Discussion ( 30 minutes)
DIVIDE students into small manageable groups
ASK students to discuss on the following question
What are the uses of computer in dispensing?
ALLOW students to discuss for 15 minutes
ALLOW few groups to present and the rest to add points not mentioned
CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the contents below
Dispensing refers to the process of preparing and giving medicine to a named person on the basis of a prescription
It involves the correct interpretation of the wishes of the pre scriber and the accurate preparation and labeling of medicine for use by the patient
This process may take place in a public or private clinic, health center, hospital, or in community pharmacy setting
It is carried out by many different kinds of people with a variety of training and back grounds
no matter where dispensing is done or who does it, any error or failure in the dispensing process can seriously affect the care of the patient
Computer can do anything you want it to do. The pharmacy departments/ owner can choose which services he wants and needs, thereby tailoring his data processing system to his own budgetary considerations
The pharmacy department/ owner should let the pharmacy’s needs determine the criteria for which services will be offered
The following is List of some Available Services which can be done through computers in dispensing
Prescription Filling-Patient name, doctor name, drug name, quantity, prescription number; prints the label, calculates the price
Prescription Refilling- Pharmaceutical personnel enter data regarding the prescription if data not available to avoid any warning message appears if the prescription is out of data
E_ Prescribing- are computer-generated prescriptions created by healthcare provider and sent directly to pharmacy. E-prescriptions are sent electronically through a private, secure, and closed network.
Prescription processing is invariably one of the main activities going on within a pharmacy on a day-to-day basis, and computers are used to make this process more reliable and efficient.
Patient Counseling – Pharmaceutical personnel can print counseling handout, prescription label and invoice. Also handout contains any information the patient might need to know regarding precautions or side effects of the medication
Patient Profile Pharmaceutical personnel can update patient profile whenever a new prescription is filled. Also if the patient might have any symptoms like allergies, it should be added to patient profile
Drug-drug interactions-some computer program offer programs for drug interaction and this help the pharmaceutical personnel to check the patient’s profile and prescription to determine if there is interaction
Stock movement reports. This depends on how much of drugs taken from previous inventory and helps to know the goods move fast or slow, also provide information for pricing decisions and judges for entire store's performance.
Electronic Order Entry. Now the wholesalers provide for other pharmacies interface with their central computers to order new medications. Also pharmacy’s employees take inventory of the shelf stock using optical scanner to read and record product codes and quantities
Daily and Monthly Log. Computer program can provide a pharmacy with a timely, precise review of prescriptions broken out into prescription number, patient type, gross profit margins and other information
Management Reports -There is a lot of different types of reports can help the pharmacy manager in his practice and his business. These like, accounting, payroll administration, cost and financial analysis market analysis, budgeting, sales forecasting and investment analysis
Communication – Computers are used within pharmacies to facilitate communication. From email to other Internet-based messaging systems, online communication allows pharmaceutical personnel and other health staff to keep in contact both within their own/out the organization
Note that: the above list are some examples of pharmaceutical services which can carried out by computers but they can increased depend on the kind of the services carried out by particular pharmacy
STEP 5: Advantage and Disadvantage of Using Computers in Pharmacy (25 minutes)
Activity: Buzzing (5 minutes)
ASK students to pair up and buzz on the following question for 2 minutes
What are advantages and disadvantage of using computers in Pharmacy?
ALLOW few pairs to respond and let other pairs to add on points not mentioned
WRITE their response on the flip chart/board
CLARIFY and SUMMARIZE by using the content below
The Following are Advantages of Using Computer in Pharmacy
The biggest advantage that can be achieved by computers is enhanced efficiency
Customer Time Savings
Computers speed the efficiency of dropping off and picking up prescriptions.
Improving Patient Compliance.
Community pharmacies can use their computer systems and direct patient access to deliver a quality and breadth of patient care unavailable anywhere else
Enhanced patient safety is of great significance.
They can avoid illegible hand writing, can be programmed to find errors in dosage, medication name, medication interactions, and identifying allergic patients or the wrong patient
The Following are Disadvantages of Using Computer in Pharmacy
Hacking
One disadvantage of using computers anywhere, let alone in a local pharmacy, is that they're susceptible to being hacked
By hacking a pharmacy's computer, one may be able to see a customer's medical history, address and other confidential information
Training
A downside to computers is that when such technology is introduced into a work environment, the employees there need to be able to properly use it
This requires training, which can take time and cost money
Vulnerable to viruses and technical problems that risk may lead to loss of data unless backed up
Sometimes increase the amount of time needed to get work done example
Downtime, system failure and inflexibility
Cost and space issues
It need money to buy the computer equipment or some times to install computer software and maintenance
space is needed for keeping the computers equipment’s
STEP 6: Key Points (5 minutes)
As with most health-care processes, pharmacy operations have been significantly changed by the advent of digital and computing technology since 1970. Right now computers and pharmacy go hand in hand
Computer science and technology is deeply utilized in pharmacy field everywhere like in pharmacy colleges, pharmaceutical industries, research centers, hospital pharmacy, community pharmacy and many more
In Pharmacy, computer can be used to simplify the dispensing process and reduce the errors which may occur during the process of dispensing
The biggest advantage that can be achieved by computers is enhanced efficiency in various pharmacy fields
One disadvantage of using computers anywhere, let alone in a pharmacy, is that they're susceptible to being hacked and breach the patient confidentiality.
Therefore computer is mandatory in this advanced era and pharmacy and related subjects are not exception to it
STEP 7: Evaluation ( 5 minutes)
What are areas where computer can be used in pharmacy field?
What are the uses of computer in dispensing?
What are advantage and disadvantage of using computers in pharmacy?
STEP 8: Use of Computer in Dispensing Field Trip (10 hours)
Activity: Field Visit (10 minutes)
PREPARE for field trip
ORIENT the students on objectives and guide of the trip
REFER students to Handout 3.1: use of computer in dispensing Field Trip Guide
TAKE students to the hospital /community pharmacy which use computer to learn about use of computer in dispensing
PREPARE students for feedback session
Field trip Guide 3.1: Use of computer in dispensing
Student Learning Tasks
By the end of this field trip students are expected to be able to;
Practice the various dispensing activities by using a computer in hospital or community pharmacy
Identity other dispensing activities which are carried out by the visited pharmacy.
The following is the list of dispensing activities which can be carried out by computer
Prescription Filling- Patient name, doctor name, drug name, quantity, prescription number; prints the label, calculates the price
Prescription Refilling- Pharmaceutical personnel enter data regarding the prescription if data not available to avoid any warning message appears if the prescription is out of data
E_ Prescribing- are computer-generated prescriptions created by healthcare provider and sent directly to pharmacy. E-prescriptions are sent electronically through a private, secure, and closed network.
Prescription Processing is invariably one of the main activities going on within a pharmacy on a day-to-day basis, and computers are used to make this process more reliable and efficient.
Patient Counseling – Pharmaceutical personnel can print counseling handout, prescription label and invoice. Also handout contains any information the patient might need to know regarding precautions or side effects of the medication
Patient Profile _ Pharmaceutical personnel can update patient profile whenever a new prescription is filled. Also if the patient might have any symptoms like allergies, it should be added to patient profile
Drug-drug interactions – some computer program offer programs for drug interaction and this help the pharmaceutical personnel to check the patient’s profile and prescription to determine if there is interaction
Stock movement reports. This depends on how much of drugs taken from previous inventory and helps to know the goods move fast or slow, also provide information for pricing decisions and judges for entire store's performance.
Electronic Order Entry. Now the wholesalers provide for other pharmacies interface with their central computers to order new medications. Also pharmacy’s employees take inventory of the shelf stock using optical scanner to read and record product codes and quantities
Daily and Monthly Log. Computer program can provide a pharmacy with a timely, precise review of prescriptions broken out into prescription number, patient type, gross profit margins and other information.
Management Reports –There is a lot of different types of reports can help the pharmacy manager in his practice and his business. These like, accounting, payroll administration, cost and financial analysis market analysis, budgeting, sales forecasting and investment analysis.
Communication – Computers are used within pharmacies to facilitate communication. From email to other Internet-based messaging systems, online communication allows pharmaceutical personnel and other health staff to keep in contact both within their own/out the organization
Students may use the above list to observe the dispensing activities carried out by the aid of computer.
Reference
Marion Merrell Dow Incorporated.( 1989).Effective pharmacy management.
Marion Merrell Dow Inc
Jadhav, S. P., Nikam, K., Gandhi, A., Salunkhe, K. &Shinde., N. (2012). Applications of
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