Abstract
In order to reduce the waiting time of outpatients at pharmacy, a computer-regulated facsimile system is employed for prescription-ordering in Fujinomiya City General Hospital. In the present study, the waiting time and troubles which we encountered using this system were examined for five days from March 13th to 17th in 1989. Prescriptions were transmitted to pharmacy by a system which consists of a specially ordered facsimile (NEFAX-17, Nihondenki Co., Ltd.) and a minicomputer (MS-8, Nihondenki Co., Ltd.) with a gateway processor (GP-200). Using this system, pharmacists fill the prescriptions, while patients are making the payment. The mean waiting time in each day was 1.9 to 5.3 min, while the time for dispensing was 12.8 to 19.6 min. The troubles in this system were as follows:(1) Failure to transmit the prescription to pharmacy;(2) Repeated transmission;(3) Unclear printing. In conclusion, this system seems useful to reduce the waiting time of outpatients at pharmacy, although a few types of trouble are also involved.
