Chapter 11. Automated Medication Dispensing Devices

In the 1980s, automated dispensing devices appeared on the scene, a generation after the advent of unit-dose dispensing (Chapter 11). The invention and production of these devices brought hopes of reduced rates of medication errors, increased efficiency for pharmacy and nursing staff, ready availability of medications where they are most often used (the nursing unit or inpatient ward), and improved pharmacy inventory and billing functions. Although the capacity of such systems to contribute to patient safety appears great, surprisingly few studies have evaluated the clinical impact of these devices.