Jakub Musialek
Mar 17, 2023
Reducing Medication Waste: An Assessment of Unused Medications
Following publication about Expired Medications delivered by J Prim Care Community Health provide following takeways:
Medication Types and Wastage: During the 1-month study period, a total of 56 different types of medications were found unused at the inpatient departments of the four hospitals. The most frequently unused medications were anti-infective medications (36.4%), followed by antipain medications (21.4%) and cardiovascular medications (11%). Among the 173 unused medications, 8.1% had already expired, while the remaining 91.9% were still usable.
Wastage Rates: The publication assessed the wastage rates of medications at the pharmacy stores of the four hospitals for the fiscal year 2009. The calculated wastage rates varied among the hospitals, with hospital 4 having the highest wastage rate at 11.2%. Program medications and antibiotics were the most frequently wasted categories of medications across all studied hospitals.
Storage Conditions: The publication also evaluated the storage conditions of medications in the pharmacy stores of the health facilities. The assessment revealed that only two out of the four hospitals fulfilled the desirable storage conditions, with one hospital achieving 100% compliance and the other reaching 82%. In contrast, the remaining two hospitals only fulfilled 65% of the storage conditions defined in the checklist. This indicates the importance of proper storage practices in preventing medication wastage and maintaining medication quality.
Following graph quickly summarize which medication were mailnly unsued:
Why does wastage happens:
Complexity of Medication Regimens: Medication regimens can be complex, with multiple medications, dosages, and administration routes. This complexity increases the risk of errors.
Systemic Issues:
Lack of Standardization: Inconsistent processes and procedures can lead to errors.
Workflow Interruptions: Frequent interruptions and disruptions in healthcare settings can distract staff and contribute to errors.
Technology Failures: Malfunctions in electronic health records (EHRs), barcode scanners, or automated dispensing systems can lead to errors.
Inadequate Safety Measures: Insufficient safety checks and safeguards can fail to catch errors before they reach patients.
Patient Factors:
Allergies and Sensitivities: Lack of knowledge about a patient's allergies or sensitivities can result in prescribing or administering contraindicated medications.
Non-Adherence: Patients not taking medications as prescribed can lead to treatment failures or errors in medication adjustments.
Disease it self : Because of very active nature of diseases, we need to constantly and quickly change drugs, which means we can open packages and not use them because physician is switching to new medication (drug).
Illegible Handwriting:
Time Pressure:
We can use UnitBox (ADC) to overcome medication waste in healthcare facilities in several ways:
Medication Tracking: ADCs provide a centralized system for tracking medication usage. They record each withdrawal and can generate reports on medication usage patterns. This data helps healthcare providers identify which medications are frequently unused or wasted and react.
Inventory Management: ADCs help maintain optimal inventory levels by automatically restocking medications when they reach a certain threshold. This reduces the likelihood of overstocking, expiration, and wastage. This mean also you can quickly and easy move medication between the different wards.
Expiration Alerts: ADCs can be programmed to alert healthcare staff when medications are nearing their expiration dates. This allows for proactive management and rotation of medications to ensure that they are used before they expire.
User Access Control: ADCs restrict access to medications based on user roles and permissions. This reduces the risk of unauthorized access and medication diversion, which can contribute to wastage.
Barcode Scanning: ADCs often use barcode scanning technology to ensure that the right medication is dispensed to the right patient. This minimizes the chances of medication errors that can result in waste.