Yokohama City University Medical Center has employed an auto ampule dispensing system (AAD) for injectable medicines connected to a computer order entry system since 2000. AAD is able to pick up the appropriate ampules and vials according to the prescription for each inpatient's prescription. After the employing this AAD system, the opportunity for patients to inquire about prescriptions has increased.
In this study, we focused our attention on injectable medicines of H2-receptor antagonist (H2-B) and proton pump inhibitor (PPI) from the pharmacist's standpoint regarding the rational use of medicine.
After asking physicians about mixing problems and change to internal medicines toward physicians, the percent of these injectable medicines ordered by physicians was decreased to 50 % in a year. The percentage of patients using injectable medicines in spite of simultaneously taking internal medicin or meals decreased from 70% to 50%. The administration period of H2-B and PPI injectable medicine also tended to decrease. The use of this new dispensing system for injectable medicines and the provision of additional information to physicians during the one year period of this study resulted in an improvement in the appropriate use of H2-B and PPI.
