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18th MDG upgrades Pyxis MedStation

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Stephen G. Eigel
  • 18th Wing Public Affairs

The pharmacy at the 18th Medical Group upgraded their Pyxis Medication storage equipment last month allowing them to save time and better serve their patients.

The Pyxis MedStation system provides a user-friendly platform to help clinicians dispense medications more efficiently with integration capabilities not seen in other systems.

“It allows the pharmacy to see stock levels of medications throughout the Medical Group from one central terminal,” said Maj. Richard Caballero, 18th MDG pharmacy flight commander. “This saves us the time of having to bounce around the different sections to see what they need.”

 

The system also minimizes the workload for sections requesting items because we know what they need before they have to ask, he added.

 

Additionally, the system’s perpetually updated inventory saves personnel 5-10 hours a week from repeatedly managing thousands of tablets on a daily basis.

 

"Before the Pyxis, the technicians were manually counting thousands of tablets every day to ensure accountability," said Caballero. "The system is important for accountability and decreases the possibility of the human error factor that can lead to delays or inconsistencies in patient care."

 

According to their website, the Pyxis MedStation uses the CUBIE® system which reduces the risk of medication errors by restricting access to only one medication at a time, preventing selecting a medication in the wrong pocket.

 

“It impacts the pharmacy and the clinic staff directly by increasing accountability and efficiency,” said Caballero. “It also impacts patients indirectly because of the increased efficiency of the appointments in the clinic with providers less likely to have to reach back to the pharmacy for something they need while the patient is waiting.”

 

Each patient’s prescription history can be recalled in the system, enabling pharmacists and doctors to know what works best for every case, added Master Sgt. Sonyea Woolfolk, 18th MDG NCO in charge of pharmacy services.

 

"If a patient is prescribed something and they come back a week later still sick or they had a reaction to the medication, the system will tell us what exactly was given to them without having to spend too much time digging," said Caballero. "This makes it easier for us and the doctors to see what needs to be changed in order to get the patients better."

 

Caballero added, overall the newly implemented system helps the pharmacy be more efficient, with less room for error giving the patients, an overall better experience.