BENEFITS
Increased Productivity
The Pyxis MedStation has been very successful in hospitals across the nation to increase the productivity in the pharmacy department. At the Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center, there was a reduction in order turnaround time, which went from two and a half hours to sixteen minutes, after integrating the Pyxis Connect system with the Pyxis MedStation (Pyxis MedStation System). According to The Pyxis MedStation System website, “By taking full advantage of the Pyxis MedStation system, the Hospital of Saint Raphael was able to decrease their time to first dose by 94%, and free up pharmacist time.” Also, patient information is easier to access, which saves time with the staff to fill the prescriptions and get them to the patients (Pyxis ES Platform solutions for hospitals and IDNs). “The Pyxis MedStation ES allows our pharmacists and technicians to manage the system from clinical areas or wherever their work takes them,” said Bill Arrington, director of pharmacy at Stillwater Medical Center in Stillwater, Okla., which is the first limited release site for the Pyxis MedStation ES. “That now enables our staff to spend more time helping clinicians deliver the best and safest care to our patients” (Hatcher).
Cost Efficient
The Pyxis system is more cost efficient than what it looks to be. According to researchers at Trinity University, the Pyxis system has the potential to save $1 million over five years (Brumley & Outlaw 3). Pyxis helps manage the cost of drugs and helps keep track of what is being used. There is close monitoring on control substance and records of medication administration, all of which make the system more cost efficient that other methods (Wright-Lewis 3).
Safety
The MedStation uses technology through the CUBIE drawers to maximize the security of the medications in the MedStation. The CUBIE drawers only open when an authorized personnel logs into the MedStation and enters in the information he or she is required to do. The system also only gives access to the medications that are for the patient who needs them. There are no other medication drawers that open unless they get prescribed by the doctor (Wright-Lewis 5). According to Suzi Birz, “The only people given access to load and stock the MedStation are pharmacists, pharmacist technicians, and nurses, so the safety is greatly improved from a medication cart hospitals common in many hospitals.” In order to fill the drawers, the pharmacy technicians can scan their badge using the barcode scanner or they can swipe their finger over the fingerprint scanner (Ryan and Crawley 5). These are the only two ways personnel can get into the MedStation. This high security to get into the MedStation is definitely a benefit to the technology because medications are nearly impossible to be stolen or put in the wrong drawer. The nurses are able to access the MedStation with their badge or fingerprint as well. Much of the MedStation’s good reviews have come from the nurses who use it. “Nurses can be given instructions about giving the medications. An example may be, “do not crush the medication” (Birz ).
Increased Productivity
The Pyxis MedStation has been very successful in hospitals across the nation to increase the productivity in the pharmacy department. At the Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center, there was a reduction in order turnaround time, which went from two and a half hours to sixteen minutes, after integrating the Pyxis Connect system with the Pyxis MedStation (Pyxis MedStation System). According to The Pyxis MedStation System website, “By taking full advantage of the Pyxis MedStation system, the Hospital of Saint Raphael was able to decrease their time to first dose by 94%, and free up pharmacist time.” Also, patient information is easier to access, which saves time with the staff to fill the prescriptions and get them to the patients (Pyxis ES Platform solutions for hospitals and IDNs). “The Pyxis MedStation ES allows our pharmacists and technicians to manage the system from clinical areas or wherever their work takes them,” said Bill Arrington, director of pharmacy at Stillwater Medical Center in Stillwater, Okla., which is the first limited release site for the Pyxis MedStation ES. “That now enables our staff to spend more time helping clinicians deliver the best and safest care to our patients” (Hatcher).
Cost Efficient
The Pyxis system is more cost efficient than what it looks to be. According to researchers at Trinity University, the Pyxis system has the potential to save $1 million over five years (Brumley & Outlaw 3). Pyxis helps manage the cost of drugs and helps keep track of what is being used. There is close monitoring on control substance and records of medication administration, all of which make the system more cost efficient that other methods (Wright-Lewis 3).
Safety
The MedStation uses technology through the CUBIE drawers to maximize the security of the medications in the MedStation. The CUBIE drawers only open when an authorized personnel logs into the MedStation and enters in the information he or she is required to do. The system also only gives access to the medications that are for the patient who needs them. There are no other medication drawers that open unless they get prescribed by the doctor (Wright-Lewis 5). According to Suzi Birz, “The only people given access to load and stock the MedStation are pharmacists, pharmacist technicians, and nurses, so the safety is greatly improved from a medication cart hospitals common in many hospitals.” In order to fill the drawers, the pharmacy technicians can scan their badge using the barcode scanner or they can swipe their finger over the fingerprint scanner (Ryan and Crawley 5). These are the only two ways personnel can get into the MedStation. This high security to get into the MedStation is definitely a benefit to the technology because medications are nearly impossible to be stolen or put in the wrong drawer. The nurses are able to access the MedStation with their badge or fingerprint as well. Much of the MedStation’s good reviews have come from the nurses who use it. “Nurses can be given instructions about giving the medications. An example may be, “do not crush the medication” (Birz ).