There is a new system of dispensing medication at Community Memorial Hospital. It is called AcuDose and in the words of Pharmacy Director Tom Dickson, "It will streamline the medication process making it more timely and it will help reduce the chances of medication errors."
Under the new AcuDose system, once the doctor's orders are received in the pharmacy, the pharmacist now has the capability to automatically send a message via computer to the medication cabinets on the nursing floor and in the emergency room with the new medication information.
When it is time to give the patient their medication, the medication information is available on the computerized medication cabinet. When the patient's name has been entered and the ordered medication selected the medication cabinet opens to the appropriate drawer and bin.
Only medications that have been prescribed for that specific patient are available to the nurse. The cabinet is refilled twice a day by pharmacy personnel. If a patient's medication order changes, the new information is relayed immediately to the AcuDose computerized medication cabinet.
Another benefit of this new computer system is that once the medication is removed from the cabinet, the system automatically bills the patient's account. This greatly reduces the amount of paperwork and creates a more accurate process.
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This is just one of many computer information system changes underway at Community Memorial Hospital and Sunnyside Health Care Center.
