Organizations that have adopted unit dose packaging systems have reported mixed experiences, according to data published byKLAS (Orem, Utah) in its 2008 High-Volume Unit Dose Packaging study.
According to the research, at hospitals dispensing a high volume of doses, which tend to be larger hospitals, many believed that the unit dose packager was able to help them reduce overall costs and enabled the organization to better control an essential aspect of the medication administration cycle. However, a number of provider organizations dispensing at lower volumes questioned whether or not their unit dose packaging system was worth the investment.
Implementation was found to be a common area of frustration for unit dose packager customers, with many citing insufficient experience among installation personnel as well as difficulty in interfacing within an automated pharmacy environment as issues.
Vendors included in the report are AmerisourceBergen Technology Group (ABTG), McKesson, Omnicell, Swisslog, and Talyst.
