Focus On: Pharmacy Informatics

Pharmacy informatics is a specialized field within pharmacy that blends clinical pharmacy practice with information technology to optimize the delivery of pharmaceutical care. It leverages technology to improve patient safety, patient outcomes, and streamline pharmacy operations. Pharmacy informatics enable healthcare providers to make more informed decisions about medication management.

Here are a few examples of how technology is currently utilized in pharmacies:

• Automated Dispensing Systems: Robots and automated cabinets in hospital pharmacies reduce errors and help manage medication dispensing more efficiently.
• Barcoding and RFID Technology: Barcoding and radio-frequency identification (RFID) are used to track medications throughout the supply chain and ensure accuracy during administration.
• Telepharmacy: Telepharmacy expands patient access and enables pharmacists to provide consultation to patients and review prescriptions remotely, especially vital in underserved areas.
• Mobile Apps and Patient Portals: Mobile health apps and patient portals empower patients to access medication information and request refills. Patients can receive automated reminders for better medication adherence and conveniently communicate with their healthcare team.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is the next major technological frontier in healthcare, and its impact will undoubtedly transform pharmacy practice. This advanced technology has the potential to influence clinical decision making through analyzing patient data and predicting outcomes. Operationally, there is potential to use AI to enhance inventory management through medication demand forecasting based on historical usage patterns.

In my latest podcast episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Dr. Ghalib Abbasi, PharmD, MS, MBA and St. Onge’s Sharone Wang about how emerging technologies are being applied in pharmacy practice settings. We discussed future trends in pharmacy informatics and why technology is critical for healthcare innovations.

You can access the entire interview here: https://takingthesupplychainpulse.buzzsprout.com