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Pharmacy Automation
As time marches on the pace of life speeds up. People want to get more done with less time and this
is usually accomplished by introducing technology into most facets of life. From banks to grocery stores
everyday tasks are now sped up thanks to automation.
Something I feel will eventually be automated are Pharmacies. Now, there is an obvious need for Pharmacist
at a hospital and in labs, but does CVS really need to pay someone $50/hr just to make sure
the technicians are counting the pills right? Of course not! The first objections come from people within
the medical industry and they are usually to the beat of "computers can't do what we can!" which is complete
crap. No one is suggesting that Pharmacist don't have a lot of knowledge, no one is saying it is easy
to get a Pharmacy degree or work as one. However, a computer is perfectly suited for acting as a pharmacist.
Pharmacist are supposed to know medicine reactions, generic brands, symptoms to watch for and much more.
This information is all filed away in the brain of the Pharmacist. Well, a simple PC has far more memory
and much quicker access time than any human. Also, a computer wont ever need to reference something else
it is the reference and it wont forget knowledge.
A simple system could be setup where someone swipes a card received from their doctor. On the card is all
of the data pertaining to the perscription. The perscription is filled via a "vending machine" and returned
to the customer. Using a touchscreen the customer can ask any related questions to the specific drug.
All that is required then is a technician or two to be present in case of minor issues. Not only would it
greatly increase the rate of perscriptions being filled, but it would alleviate cost. I am excited to see that
several companies are beginning to make steps in the automated direction with ATM like machines for
perscriptions.
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