• Evaluating the impact of imple...

*Result*: Evaluating the impact of implementing an electronic barcode and image capture workflow system in an oral liquid repackaging area.

Title:
Evaluating the impact of implementing an electronic barcode and image capture workflow system in an oral liquid repackaging area.
Authors:
Denny AK; The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA., Blee J; UW Health, Madison, WI, USA., Spangler JR; UW Health, Madison, WI, USA.
Source:
American journal of health-system pharmacy : AJHP : official journal of the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists [Am J Health Syst Pharm] 2026 Feb 20; Vol. 83 (Supplement_1), pp. S26-S32.
Publication Type:
Journal Article
Language:
English
Journal Info:
Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9503023 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1535-2900 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 10792082 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Am J Health Syst Pharm Subsets: MEDLINE
Imprint Name(s):
Publication: <2019-> : [Oxford] : Oxford University Press
Original Publication: Bethesda, MD : The Society, c1995-
MeSH Terms:
Medication Errors*/prevention & control , Medication Errors*/statistics & numerical data , Electronic Data Processing*/methods , Pharmacy Service, Hospital*/organization & administration , Pharmacy Service, Hospital*/methods , Drug Packaging*/methods , Drug Packaging*/standards , Drug Compounding*/methods , Drug Compounding*/standards , Workflow*, Humans ; Quality Improvement ; Academic Medical Centers ; Administration, Oral ; Electronic Health Records ; Pharmacists ; Drug Labeling
Contributed Indexing:
Keywords: academic medical center; medication errors; patient safety; pharmacy; software; technology
Entry Date(s):
Date Created: 20251211 Date Completed: 20260219 Latest Revision: 20260219
Update Code:
20260220
DOI:
10.1093/ajhp/zxaf342
PMID:
41381217
Database:
MEDLINE

*Further Information*

*Purpose: To assess the impact of barcode scanning and image capture technology on clinically significant medication preparation errors and medication waste in oral liquid repackaging workflows.
Methods: A quality improvement initiative was conducted at an academic medical center to assess the impact of implementing barcode scanning and image capture technology on the oral liquid repackaging process. The primary objective was to evaluate the impact of technology on medication preparation errors. The secondary objective was to evaluate medication waste. Preparation errors were tracked during pharmacist verification before and after implementation of the third-party technology. Clinically significant medication errors were defined as wrong drug, beyond-use date, volume, or label errors. Medication waste, defined as medication that was prepared but not administered, was evaluated using electronic health record data. Error rates were calculated per 1,000 syringes prepared, and a Poisson rate test was used to assess statistical significance.
Results: A total of 108,611 doses were prepared during the preimplementation period while 63,684 doses were prepared after implementation. The number of clinically significant errors decreased from 747 to 132 events. Wrong drug errors declined from 160 to 5 events (P < 0.01), wrong volume errors decreased from 294 to 55 events (P < 0.01), and wrong beyond-use date errors were lowered from 281 to 67 events (P < 0.01). Wrong label errors did not show a statistically significant change. The wrong drug error rate decreased from a peak of 2.97 to 0 per 1,000 syringes. Hazardous medication waste was reduced by 8% following workflow adjustments.
Conclusion: Implementation of barcode scanning and image capture technology was associated with a significant reduction in clinically significant medication errors and a modest decrease in medication waste.
(© American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2025. All rights reserved. For commercial re-use, please contact reprints@oup.com for reprints and translation rights for reprints. All other permissions can be obtained through our RightsLink service via the Permissions link on the article page on our site—for further information please contact journals.permissions@oup.com.)*