Abstract
Background
Tech-Check-Tech (TCT) allows a pharmacy technician to perform the final check of medications prepared by another technician. The effect of a TCT program on the time required to process medications in a hospital pharmacy has not been previously reported.
Objective
To evaluate the effect of implementing a TCT program on the time required to prepare, check, and deliver medications to automated medication supply systems (AMSS) located throughout an academic medical center.
Methods
The primary outcome was the difference in mean total time required to process AMSS medications between pre- and post-implementation periods. Forty-five days pre-TCT implementation was compared to 45 days post implementation. To assess the effect of the TCT program on pharmacist-time allocation, median times required to verify stat and routine medication orders in the computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system were analyzed.
Results
Mean total time spent processing AMSS medications was 24.16 ± 2.98 hours and 16.79 ± 2.65 hours for the pre- and post-TCT implementation periods, respectively (difference of 7.37 hours; 95% CI, 6.19-8.55 hours; p < 0.0001). Median verification times for stat medication orders were 5 (interquartile range [IQR], 2-12) minutes before and 4 (IQR, 2-9) minutes after TCT implementation (p < 0.0001). For routine orders, median verification times were 12 (IQR, 4-30) minutes before and 7 (IQR, 3-18) minutes after implementation (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions
The total time required to process AMSS medications was significantly reduced after a TCT program was implemented in an academic medical center. Pharmacist medication order verification times were also significantly reduced.
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