Implementation of the UnitBox system
and its integration with the local HIS system
at the Kozienice Hospital.
Kozienice Hospital
Client
To reduce the costs of drug logistics by implementing a system for the storage and distribution of medications and its integration with the HIS system.
Objective
UnitBox system (consisting, among other things, of 20 automated ward pharmacy cabinets) and its integration with the local HIS system.
Solution used
2023
Year of implementation
The issue of medication management and the safety of dispensing drugs is a large-scale challenge and a significant problem in every healthcare facility both in the country and abroad. It is worth noting that in Poland, there is no unified report regarding medical errors related to drug administration. However, research from the United States indicates that “[...] medication errors occur in 20% of doses intended for hospitalized patients. As much as 38% of medication errors involve the incorrect administration of a drug. It is also estimated that the costs associated with additional care resulting from errors amount to between $17 billion and $29 billion annually.” Considering these figures, the Chief Pharmaceutical Inspector in the report "Solutions in Clinical Pharmacy and the Role of Pharmacists in Healthcare Entities" stated that “[...] the implementation of any systems that support inventory management and enable drug tracking and the verification of correct administration to patients, as well as devices that assist in the preparation of medicinal products, especially hazardous ones, must become a priority for medical entities.” Therefore, the digitization of hospitals has become not just a trend, but a necessity.
About the Client
The implementation was carried out at the Independent Public Healthcare Institution (SPZZOZ) in Kozienice. The facility was established in 1981, initially consisting of six departments and having 309 beds. Today, it is one of the most dynamically operating medical centers in the Masovian Voivodeship, which at the end of 2023 received the title of Laureate of the Polish Quality Award and secured second place in the Mazovian medical plebiscite "Hippocrates 2023" in the "Hospital of the Year" category. The facility currently has 13 specialized departments. Roman Wysocki, the Director of SPZZOZ in Kozienice, was seeking effective solutions to optimize the operations of the institution he manages and to ensure that it remains a safe treatment center for patients and a comfortable workplace for medical staff. One of the challenges included in this overall hospital strategy was to revolutionize the medication management system. Another important aspect was the necessity to address financial resources allocated for securing monthly supplies of medications and medical supplies. These items generated significant expenses, and there was also a problem in monitoring the expiration dates of medicinal products. Low-rotation medications expired in some departments, while there was a constant shortage in others (due to underestimations). It was also more difficult to implement the FIFO principle—medications with older expiration dates were not dispensed first. The facility in Kozienice had poor financial liquidity; therefore, the planned innovation was expected to bring measurable financial savings to the institution, noticeable within the first months after its implementation.
Context
Challenges
The biggest challenge, and at the same time a threat to the success of the implemented project, turned out to be changing the long-standing habits and habits of the staff and switching to the automation of activities that had previously been performed manually and documented on paper. There was a need to integrate the dispersed individual ward pharmacies and to standardise processes related to the logistics of medicines and small medical equipment. During the implementation of the automated medicine cabinets, we also encountered some major technical challenges. For example, we had to adapt the IT infrastructure, which involved cabling the entire hospital, building a new network and electrical infrastructure. One of the activities was also the preparation of a test environment to check the functioning of the system before full implementation. The project also necessitated the training of nearly 150 people, who worked various hours, in 15 departments.
Stages in the implementation process
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The path from analysis to the start of full-scale work.
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Carrying out pre-implementation analysis and detailing processes.
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Supply and installation of air conditioning to cool the hospital premises.
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Supply of EDM, installation and configuration of server infrastructure.
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Construction and implementation of an integrated drug storage and administration distribution system including central pharmacy equipment. Delivery, set-up and integration of UnitBox equipment into the IT environment.
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Training and job briefings combined with the commissioning of the system in the hospital units.
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Commencement of full-time staff operation with UnitBox equipment and system environment.
UnitBox system
UnitBox automatic ward first-aid kits are units that replace classic medicine cabinets, but in addition offer many other conveniences, all in accordance with current legislation and good practice. What makes the UniBox system the ideal solution for any hospital? For one thing, the fact that medical orders are included in an electronic system with visible, up-to-date stock levels, and the drugs themselves are stored in special drawers or fridges, creating optimal conditions for them. All medicines are under full control - the medicine cabinets are equipped with a code reader and therefore 100% of the medicines coming out of the machine are verified. There is no possibility of making a mistake and, for example, taking out a medicine that is not included in the doctor's order (apart from, for example, the emergency mode, which is used in special, clearly defined cases). More important features include the ability to generate personalised reports, e.g. an ‘on-demand’ inventory.
