Robotic Pharmacy utilization limitations and features of adopting AI

Also, researchers wish to extend their deepest gratitude to all those who have, directly or indirectly, contributed to complete this research. List of Contents Acknowledgements 3 List of contents 3-4 An abstract 4 Introduction 5 Literature review 5 Research method 5 Results 5-6 Discussion 6 Conclusion 7 Recommendation 7 Research Significance and Limitation 7 Appendices 7 References 8 An abstract This study focused on analyzing and evaluating an existing Robotic pharmacy as one of the latest smart technologies adopted in the UAE hospitals. The qualitative study was designed to gain insight into the utilizations of the Robotics Pharmacy as well as its limitation. A three government hospitals investigated were all three hospitals are using the same robot pharmacy company, which is Omni-cell Company (Germany Company). Also, a comparison was created between the existing robot pharmacies being used in DHA with another robot pharmacy named UCSF Medical Center pharmacy being used in Germany to investigate the differences between the two robots.

On another hand, will study how the artificial intelligence can effect on the pharmacy work. The qualitative data analysis process through investigating the two defined research questions of the study and according to the methodology applied, the data is analyzed by the researchers to achieve desired findings on the study. According to the data which will be collected from the interviews, the answers of the representatives from each Hospitals will be compared and contrast between pharmacies. Additionally, similarities and differences will be identified and main features of the robotic systems and its limitations will be explored. A tools like MS Excel will be used to analysis the data. As applications need faster and more accurate responses, more precise measurement, understanding, and situational awareness are needed for control [15–18,29]. The virtual and mechanical robots can help in medicine labeling and bar codes scanning as well as packaging and dispensing prescriptions (Butter et al.

The future for pharmaceutical practices looks bright with the introduction of artificial intelligence. Artificial intelligence is one of the revolutionary technological inventions ever done and cuts across several industries. Buvailo (2018) observed that the current pharmaceutical industry has been quite vivid with regards to adapting to artificial intelligence. Once medical applications of artificial intelligence evolve to the point where the system can act as true adviser capable of providing consistently high quality second opinions, the technology could also help rein in the high costs associate with clinical negligence claim (Ford, 2015). Utilization & Limitation of Robotics Pharmacy There are many benefits of the robotics of pharmacy. King’s College Hospital, London stated that since 2001 there were a significant impact of the robotic dispensing on error rates as from a modest 16% decrease at Wolverhampton Hospital to a 65% decrease.

Moreover, it has led to saving in interest costs associated with holding inventory, as well as, the acquisition of the inventory reduction were nearest expiry products distrusted first. A reduction in employment because of focusing in lower paid employee, reduction of overtime cost and outsourcing staff, increase dispensing activity despite of less number of staff and increase in security in relation to storage and access to medication (Ryan, 2013). Moreover, this smart pharmacy will reduce and minimize human error to ensure patients’ safety and guarantee the quality and safety of medication due its barcode system and cold chain of pharmaceuticals. After the successful implementation of smart or robotic pharmacy in Rashid Hospitals, DHA launched the same system in Dubai Hospital and Latifa Hospital continuously. Furthermore, they will progress to implement the robot in all DHA hospitals to meet UAE strategy by providing World-Class Healthcare.

DHA is the first to implement the barcode system in UAE, which lead to ensure the patient safety by giving each medicine a barcode, thus will reduce the chance of mistakes when dispensing medication. They used latest technology to coordinate with the biggest international companies that supply medication (DHA, 2017). This smart robot has an automated process when the doctor enters the prescription into the system, the robot prepares the medicines and adds barcode, which contains patient's and order's information. The nurse will receive the medicine, scan the barcode and administers medication to patients. UCSF build the robotic pharmacy to improve patient safety and increasing the medical center’s efficiency. The new upgraded robotic pharmacy that planned to upgrade and renovate of the existing pharmacy with an investment of $24m. It later decided to develop a new robotic pharmacy for $15m, without full automation.

It also illustrates the differences between the two robots including; cost, operational efficiency, level of pharmacist involvement, safety, speed of delivery, storage, disadvantages and other features (Table1). Results • Omni-cell Company (Germany Company): Robot automation • UCSF Medical Center pharmacy (Swiss and Canadian robots) Automation process The following table summarizes the findings based on the analysis: Discussion This section argues the results in an attempt to answer the two researches questions: Q1: Robotic Pharmacy utilization, limitations: The study results show that the robotic pharmacy is implemented effectively in hospitals to drive business asset in terms of enhancing the operational efficiency, speed of delivery, reducing cost and saving effort of pharmacist through eliminating their level of involvement in some tasks. However, a number of limitations was highlighted as well as limitations of decision making capabilities.

Each comparison category in the findings is discussed below in detail. • Cost: The findings show that robot pharmacy has enhanced cost saving reduction within the hospitals. In addition, both keep track the medicines in terms of availability and alarming their expiry date. • Level of pharmacist involvement: The level pharmacist involvement is medium in Omnicell. The pharmacist’s main role is to check & prepare the medications, send instructions to the robot to deliver the prescription and handle it to the patients. On the other hand, the pharmacist involvement in UCSF is low. The pharmacists do not prepare the medications; the medications only handle directly by a robot in a sterile environment. As the robot knows where the medicines kept, so it doesn’t have to search for the medicine. The findings show that Omnicell robot can dispense up to 12 precipitations in less than one minute.

The UCSF, in contrast, can prepare about 10. dose/day. The determination of which robot is delivering faster than the other one is difficult due to the different measurement tools and period was used to measure the speed of delivery in both robots. This allow Omnicell robot to serve more patients than UCSF robot. Also, the UCSF robot can only prepare the prescription for 12 hours only, which indicates lower operational performance capability than the Omnicell robot that is available 24 hours. The Omnicell robot cannot prepare a certain number of the medicine if the prescription requires as most of the medicine comes in box package. In contrast, the UCSF robot is able to prepare a required number of medicines based on prescription. Both robots can’t investigate patient history and refuse the medicine if it not safe and unable to find alternative medicine if it is not available.

Despite the benefit of the utilizing Robotic Pharmacy, we should take more consideration in its limitation that may affect the performance. Adopting AI in this existing system will support in building greater impact on the performance effectiveness. Conclusion This study has identified various important details with regards to the application of robotics in pharmacy in healthcare facilities. With so much benefits attached to it, robotics are revolutionizing pharmacy; improving the healthcare provision in various regions across the world. As a matter of fact, the results reached through this study can support the advocacy for the installation of robotics in field of pharmacy, as well as the healthcare facilities at large. The robots know, through the programming processes, the location of the medicine and other medical equipment, so it doesn’t have to search for the medicine everywhere in the pharmacy premises.

As indicated through the findings, Omnicell robot can dispense up to 12 precipitations in less than one minute. It would be difficult for one person to prepare that number of precipitations in a minute, unless there are more people involved. This is a clear indicator that application of robotics is a great development in the field of pharmacy. AI application in pharmacies is a breakthrough in improving quality of services through improved efficiency in operations throughout the industry. The robots are unable find an alternative medicine for a patient or determine whether the medicine is safe or not and therefore it requires human input to ensure the safe delivery of medicine. Moreover, there is need for improvement of the robots to ensure better performance. It has been established that despite the fact that AI has so many benefits over human inputs especially in cost reduction and accuracy, there is still a place for human input in the field of pharmacy.

Robots either act under the direct control of a human or under the control of a programmed computer. Thus, it is highly recommendable to launch further studies to establish the extent to which AI can be utilized in the field of pharmacy.  The findings and implications will offer guidance to hospitals wishing to develop their systems with latest technologies to progress from maturity level to a more advanced level.  Therefore, it will be useful in establishing new information about the subject and help to inform some of the most critical decisions as regards artificial intelligence, and its advantages features that will add value to the exist Robotic Pharmacy.   Only three hospitals adopting the Robotic Pharmacy in Dubai have been considered in this research due to resource and time limitations.  This research should be extended to other hospitals in various Emirates to ensure the implementation of best practices in this field.

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