Maury Regional Medical Center
The Challenge
Soon after unifying the health system on a single Cerner electronic health record (EHR) system, pharmacy leaders were faced with another major technology decision: their automated medication dispensing cabinets had reached the end of their 10-year-plus useful life and needed to be replaced. Automated dispensing systems are integral to Maury Regional Medical Center's medication-use process — more than 80 percent of patient medications are stored in unit-based cabinets.
Acting swiftly yet methodically, pharmacy leaders convened a multidisciplinary committee, including nursing, IT, anesthesia, and others, to explore available cabinet options. Among the group's technology must-haves: greater medication storage capacity, advanced workflow features for nursing, increased security of controlled substances, improved controlled substance accountability with new reports, and integration with the Cerner EHR.
The Solution
Following a thorough evaluation, the committee overwhelmingly chose an Omnicell solution set that included the XT Automated Medication Dispensing Cabinet System, XT Controlled Substance Dispenser, and XT Controlled Substance Manager.
The Impact
Despite a challenging time frame — completing the cabinet transition in less than two months — the hospital experienced immediate benefits: improved storage capacity, increased security, and enhanced workflow.
With a larger touchscreen operation, bright Guiding Light technology, and improved cabinet organization, the XT cabinets were quickly adopted by nurses. Pharmacy took advantage of the greater medication storage capacity to add more line items and larger items, and — together with improved reporting — to optimize par levels more efficiently. The result is more medications readily available for patients, fewer stockouts, and fewer nursing and pharmacy disruptions.
The XT Controlled Substance Dispenser stores medications in a secured area inside the cabinet and dispenses specified unit doses into a special drawer for easy nurse access, eliminating the need for countbacks and the time spent resolving discrepancies. "The Controlled Substance Dispenser system and workflow basically shift the time burden off nursing, so nurses have more time for patient care," explained Michael Barton, Director of Pharmacy. "I'm pleased with the new XT cabinet system. We're miles ahead in terms of functionality and innovation, our end users are satisfied, and we're actually spending less money," added Jeff Binkley, Administrative Director of Pharmacy.
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