Esther Yang

9:05AM-10:00AM class

Prof. Jason Arenstein

Cover Page

            This essay was difficult to put all the sources together as one even though this was my revised essay. Using the chart helped me organize my thoughts and information about these sources once again, which it helped me refer back to all my sources. I enjoyed writing about a topic that I would be working on in the future. After these researches that I did, I have learned a lot about the pharmacy. Through the research, I was able to discover new things about the process about the pharmacy. I am glad that even though technologies are developing, job as pharmacist is needed rather than slowly decreasing. Overall, I am glad about this paper and I enjoyed it.

Esther Yang

Instructor: Arenstein

Semester Topic: Technologies are impacting the pharmaceutical field drastically.

Inquiry Question: Does the advancement of technology improve the job of pharmacist or slowly remove them from the equation?

Title: Innovation of Technology

I.                   Brief introduction how this research started.

II.                Introduction

A.    Introduction about how engineers started inventing new technologies to pharmacy.

B.     Explanation of the object-text

C.     Revised inquiry question

III.             Body ( 1-2 paragraphs)

A.    Further information about the object-text and how

B.     Give reasons why the object text helps to answer the inquiry Question

C.     Provide information why pharmacy is innovating

D.    Using the object-text, explain why new technologies are needed.

E.     How using the new technologies would help in pharmacy industry

F.      Introduce some technologies by introducing the idea that the lens texts can help

IV.              Body ( 3-6 paragraphs)

A.    Introduce my first source and how it may help answer the inquiry question

B.     How my source can help me answer my inquiry question

C.     How few of the new technologies can have a great impact in pharmacy industry

D.    Explain other two sources and relate with my object text

V.                 Conclusion

A.    Summary of the entire essay.

B.     The final answer for my inquiry question

Better Pharmacy

          Technologies have been evolved over the years.  Technologies have helped pharmacy improve delivering drugs to the patients.  We see that pharmacy is constantly changing how pharmacists deliver medications to us.  The methods have been changing by inventing new technologies that deliver medications in best way.  These new inventions have helped improve but it was leading into different issues, for example, if they find advantages, they would find disadvantages.  The question that arises would be if it is possible to resolve this issue, while retaining the advantage of technology.

            Innovation of pharmacy started in 1970s with introducing with pill counting machines. This change took place because for accuracy, safety, industry standards, and competency in the pharmacy environment.  In the past there were many errors that were made and wrong medications would be delivered to the patients.  Thousands of deaths occurred each year in the United States due to medication errors.  Medication errors can be wrong drug, wrong dosage of the drug, wrong instructions, expired drug, and wrong amount of pills.  Because of this, pharmacy marketing has been increasing demand for better technology that can improve.  As technology has been improving, pharmacist’s education has changed throughout the year.  In the past, pharmacists just needed to be educated about the drugs and measurements. Now, a pharmacist needs to be educated on how the technologies are being used. Not only pharmacists need to know about the medications, they have to know the usage of the technology to deliver drugs in best way.

            As on object-text, I overviewed and interviewed a local pharmacist.  It helped me gather information about the technology that was being used today in local pharmacy.  It was a simple technology that looked like a computer. This technology has improved by reducing the errors but there were few disadvantages about this computer. There are few people who try to get drugs illegally. These people can simply hack and send prescriptions to pharmacies from computer in their homes. Also, another concern is that patient records can be fixed into false records or can be erased. After viewing my object-text, the question was “Is the pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technologies?”

            Many systems, robots, technologies are developing to help make pharmacy operations more efficient and effective. Right now, the most important factor about using these technologies in pharmacy is that if it is installed correctly. If it’s not, it can produce inefficiencies and errors, which it is another problem. Therefore, as the technologies are improving, information are given in details.

            The vice president of healthcare solutions, Inc. has introduced a new technology called e-prescription.  The E-prescription can resolve many issues in pharmacy.  It would be able to scan bar codes, robotics, and it would be provided with automated product machine (ATM). Similar to this, Robot-Rx is another technology that uses barcodes. This is designed to save time and money in pharmacy. E-prescribing also solves financial problems. E-prescription saves $0.97 per prescription in pharmacy labor cost and all refills saves $0.37 per prescription in pharmacy labor costs. The ATM machine for RX is a machine for patients to pick up their medication in any markets that patients are comfortable to pick up at. This method connects with another technology called Pillpick. It is a system that provides for the fully automated packaging. It has a great storage and distribution of medications in a unit dose hospital environment. If e-prescription emerges with pharmacy, it integrates new technology into pharmacy dispensing technology. This technology is called Med-Dispense. It provides decentralized automated medication dispensing system for health is facilities nationwide. This allows nursing access to medications with pharmacy control. It reduces medication errors, eliminate missing doses, eliminate manual charge functions with interface functionality, and ensure accurate dispensing with profile interface.

            ScriptPro is another technology that offers a “family” of robotic prescription dispensing solutions to automate prescription fulfillment from point of entry to point of sale and beyond. It helps pharmacist to handle increasing prescription volumes while solving staffing problems. ScriptPro has ability to track and accurately process partial fills, prints description of drug on the label, to calibrate cells on-site in minutes, and reports for inventory management, for example, lot number tracking and drug utilization. Similar to this, a system called TCGRx offers pharmacy optimization across space, labor, and inventory. This technology shows the unit dose and does oral solid packaging. Multi dose oral solids packaging sizes allow for a variety of business and patient satisfaction needs. It is expandable from 256, 324, or 384 oral solids and does redundant lower packaging units to ensure maximum uptime. It optimizes space, labor and inventory but adds more capacity. It is a system for easy reconfiguration and increases accuracy. Like the ScriptPro, it helps the work flow and consult/formulate pharmacy footprint, and optimize space efficiency.

            Walgreen is the nation’s largest drugstore chain. This drugstore operates 6,204 drugstores in 49 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Walgreen has great records of pharmacy technology innovation. In 1980s, Walgreens invented the electronic prescription, which this technology is still being used. Walgreen would be first retailed store to able to use these new inventions. Also, they are partnering with Google to give access to pharmacy patients to their personal prescription history through Google Health. This would provide information on a new product that was launched today that helps users store, organize and manage their medical records online. This system is very useful. “Doctors often don’t have access to a patient’s complete prescription history, which can lead to harmful drug interactions,” said Don Huonker, Walgreens senior vice president of health care innovation. “While many patients use Walgreens online pharmacy to access their prescription history, they don’t always provide that information to their doctor. By partnering with Google Health, we can securely link a patient’s Walgreens.com pharmacy information with their Google Health account on their request. This will make it even easier for patients to communicate their information to multiple doctors and their caretakers, who can be granted access to their Google Health account with the patient’s permission when the feature is enabled in the near future.”

            Technologies have been developing over the years. After reading about these new innovated technologies, another question was “Does the advancement of technology improves the job of pharmacist or slowly removes them from the equation?”

            Although technologies are innovating and seems slowly taking pharmacist’s job, it is not true. Because of all these technologies, pharmacy needs many pharmacy technicians or pharmacists that are able to use the technologies. On a University of Alaska Anchorage blog, it tells the job duties and opportunity due to new technologies. They all need to be trained first and able to use these robots.  According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics the profession will be growing at a rate of 21-35 percent until the year 2012. Also on the article The Pharmacist’s Role in Treatment Adherence, pharmacists should be responsible to seek patient consent for access to medical records and participate in collaborative practice agreements that allow communication between physicians, nurses, and other health care practitioners through electronic medical records. A pharmacist needs to make sure that robots are being used correctly and deliver drugs to the patients in a safely mannered way.

            Throughout my research, I have gathered much information and was able to conclude my inquiry questions.  Many pharmacists believe that “future is now.” Growth of accidentals was increasing in the past but as technologies have developed, only outcomes for patient would happen. One pharmacist named Dr. Karalis said “We have automation to do multi-dose packaging, bar-code scanning, script imaging, and six to seven different types of compliance packaging, I started with technology five years ago, but it has never replaced an employee or cut down costs. I invest in technology for the ability to grow and for accuracy.” Pharmacy is in the process of improving thanks the technology and the advancement of technology improves the job of pharmacist.

Work Cited

BCC Research “ U.S. Market for Pharmacy Automation” 1 Feb. 2004

http://www.marketresearch.com/map/prod/962514.html

Berger, Bruce A., Felkey, Bill, Kruegar, Kem P. “ The Pharmacist’s Role in Treatment

Adherence”. 15 Dec. 2008

http://www.uspharmacist.com/index.asp?show=article&page=8_1647.htm

Deerfield, Ill. “Walgreens Partners with Google to Provide Pharmacy Patients Access to Their

Prescription History Through Google Health”. 19 May 2008 

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EIN/is_2008_May_19/ai_n25434974

Dietz, Don, RPh. “Emerging Pharmacy Technology: Rx for success”. 27 January 2006.

Discover the First and Only Next-Generation Pharmacy Automation

http://www.rxshowcase.com/pharmacy_automation_companies.htm

Hernandez, Lynda. “ Universicy of Alaska Anchorage” pharmacy technology. 2008

http://www.uaa.alaska.edu/ctc/alliedhealth/pharmacy/index.cfm

Kim, Jina. Personal interview. 10 Sept. 2008

Mckim, A.S. & Sturb, Robert. “Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical     

Paul, Reid. “ Technology drives safety and innovation for retail pharmacy”. 14 Jul. 2008

http://drugtopics.modernmedicine.com/drugtopics/Pharmacy/Technology-drives-safety-and-innovation-for-retail/ArticleStandard/Article/detail/527466?searchString=asteres

Products and Medical Devices.” Pharmaceutical Technology May 2008 Volume 32. 5 Dec 2007.   74-84  

Esther Yang

Prof. Jason Arenstein

ROC 3

Part 1: Reading Reflection

There are two sources that I will be using throughout this ROC 3. It is a journal called RX Insider that lists all the next generation technologies that will be using in the future. The headline is “Discover the First and Only Next-Generation Pharmacy Automation.” This would be a great source because it answers “5 W’s and how” questions. Second source is an article called “The pharmacist’s Role in Treatment Adherence.” It is written by three professors in pharmacy department. This would be another great source because it explains why they are in the process of discovering new technologies. These two sources merge into last two sources that I used in essay 2. These new sources would be able to answer the new inquiry question “How do these new technologies affect pharmacy?”

Part 2: Reading Reflection

Topic: New technologies in pharmacy

Inquiry question: How do these new technologies affect pharmacy?

Thesis: New technologies are inventing to improve pharmacy.

Major pieces of supporting and complicating evidence:

Discover the First and Only Next-Generation Pharmacy Automation

By:

Fill- Parata Max, Parata Mini

Serve

Adhere

McKesson Automated Prescription Systems (APS)

McKesson Automation

ScriptPro

TCGRx

medDispense

Kirby Lester

AccuChart

Medical packaging

AmerisourceBergen

Swisslog

Medacist

Fulcrum

Innovation

Health Robotics

MTS Medication Technologies

Pearson Medical Technologies

Coldchain Technology Service

Omnicell, SPX GSE

The Pharmacist’s Role in Treatment Adherence

By: Bill G. Felkey, MS, Bruce A. Berger, PhD, RPh, Kem P. Krueger, PharmD, PhD

Improving adherence with medication regimens

Advances in telecommunications infrastructure may present many opportunities

Electronic Medical Records

Computerized Prescriber Order Entry

Pharmacy Management Systems

Internet-Based Pharmacy Communication

Telemedicine and Telepharmacy

Responding to the Medicare Modernization Act

Conclusion

Part 3: Observation

Many technologies have been listed and described in this journal. One of the few technologies is the McKesson Automated Prescription systems. This technology increases pharmacy efficiency and enhance patient safety. Pharmacists and technicians would be more productive and pharmacy efficiency would increase. Patients would receive better and safer care.

Discover the First and Only Next-Generation Pharmacy Automation

http://www.rxshowcase.com/pharmacy_automation_companies.htm

This article mostly talks about how to deliver drugs in safer ways. These three professors suggest pharmacists to seek patient consent for to access to their medical records. Using the electronic medical records, it would be helpful for pharmacists to communicate with physicians, nurses, and other health care practitioners. This technology would be very important to multidisplinary team (care giving).

The Pharmacist’s Role in Treatment Adherence. 15 Dec.2005

http://www.uspharmacist.com/index.asp?show=article&page=8_1647.htm

Part 4: Contemplation: Textual Relationships

The question is “How do these new technologies affect pharmacy?” Technology has been improving throughout the years to help pharmacy. Throughout these two sources, it has been proved that many technicians are trying hard to make many different kinds of technologies to improve. These two articles talk about different technologies that would improve for their patient’s safety and giving care.

There are many relationships between these two scholarly sources. The first source, McKeeson automated prescription system focuses on patient’s safety (McKeeson). In the second source, an electronic medical record focuses on how to communicate with different technicians to approach to care giving (Berger, Felkey, Krueger). As they both are focusing on the patients it separates to what kind of focusing on the patients is. They both have great impacts in pharmacy industry.

Esther Yang

9:05AM – 10:00AM class

Prof. Jason Arenstein

Cover Page

Revising this essay was easier for me to write rather than writing the first essay. I had so many comments from my partner Ashley, writing center, and Prof. Jason Arenstein. It was clearer how to write this essay. First, I was clueless and didn’t how to even start the essay but the conference helped me a lot. Also from writing center, I was able to learn more about work citation. I still had difficulty combining all the sources together because each one of them was talking about individual technology.

Esther Yang

Instructor: Arenstein

Semester Topic: Technology solves a few issues but brings some negative issues to delivering drugs.

Inquiry Question: How do these new technologies affect this pharmacy?

Object-Text: Pharmacist/Pharmacy – Dr. Jina Kim, CVS (Astoria)

Two sources:

1. Mckim, A.S. & Sturb, Robert, “Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices” May 2008 Volume 32 number pg 74-84. December 5, 2007

2. Don Dietz RPh. “Emerging Pharmacy Technology: Rx for Success” January 27, 2006

Topic: This essay is to build on the inquiry question by using two lens texts to re-interpret the object text.

Title: Innovation of Pharmacy

I. Intro of my first inquiry question

Inquiry question: Is pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technology?

II. The Evolution of the Thesis

A. Initial Hypothesis: Pharmacy is in the process improving thanks to new technology

B. Revised Thesis: Through different new technologies that are being invented, pharmacy is in the process of improving.

III. Introduction

A. Brief summary and description of my object text

B. Introduce lens texts and briefly discuss the concepts that I will be using

C. Thesis statement: Through different new technologies that are being invented, pharmacy is in the process of improving.

IV. Supporting Evidence Non-scholarly source (lens-text) “Emerging Pharmacy Technology: Rx for success” by Don Dietz R.Ph.

A. Biggest challenge before E-prescription was formed.

B. Description about the technology.

C. Benefits of emerging pharmacy technology

V. Supporting Evidence Scholarly source ( lens-text) “Mckim, A.S. & Sturb, Robert, “Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved pharmaceutical Products and Medical Device”

A. Before this technology was invented

B. Benefits of this technology

VI. Supporting Evidence: Using both lens-text to view pharmacy right now

A. What now/revised question do I have about how technology impacts the pharmacy?

VII. Conclusion

A. By looking at different types of new technology, the pharmacy is improving

B. Statement of Significance: Two technologies show that pharmacy is improving.

“Innovation of Pharmacy”

The first time I entered pharmacy, I was amazed by the medication available to the people. It was stacked inside a glossy package and placed on a tall shelve. We see that pharmacy is constantly changing how pharmacists deliver medications to us. The methods have been changing by inventing new technologies to find the best way to deliver medications to patients. Technologies have helped pharmacy improve but it was leading into different issues, for example, if they find advantages, they would find disadvantages. The question that arises would be if it is possible to resolve this issue, while retaining the advantages of technology.

Over viewing and interviewing a local pharmacist helped me gather information about the technology that they use today. It is a simple technology that looks like a computer. It indicates the location, label, and the usage of a drug. This technology reduces the error in prescribing the drugs. But the disadvantage is that the system would be hacked because the information is not locked. They are working how to put these information locked so no one would be able to hack into the computer. This technology can resolve on delivering drugs. This information can identify that the process is getting better and have evolved from the past.

The question is “Is the pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technologies?” Throughout the two sources, it has been proved that many technicians are trying hard to make many different kinds of technologies to improve to process/deliverance. One source is scholarly source, which is called Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices. It introduces the new technology called DMSO which makes a great impact in pharmacy. Second source is the non-scholarly source. It is a blog where vice president of pharmacy health care solution, Inc. discusses about the new technology called e-prescribe.

Don Dietz R.Ph., M.S., vice president of healthcare solutions, Inc., have introduced a new technology called e-prescription. The blog starts off with past disadvantages. In the past, biggest challenge was that all the system in pharmacy were outdated, using old barcodes, and have been patched together with bolted on enhancements. With replacing with new technology, it would make many issues be solved. The technology itself is cheaper and that has been updated. It would be able to scan bar codes, robotics, and it would be provided with automated product machine (ATM). The ATM machine for Rx is a machine for patients to pick up their medication in any markets that patients are comfortable to pick up at. Also this device would come with IVR technology that would remind the pharmacists about the refills and offers to enroll patients in manufacturer programs for targeted patients. This operation is not necessary. It is an optional. But having this technology, E-prescribing, would improve workflow and alternate site activities such as central fill, central processing, and load balancing. If this technology emerges with pharmacy, it integrates new technology into pharmacy dispensing process. Also it dispenses more Rxs safely with new technology meaning it would have better controls. E-prescribing complies with updated pharmacy laws and new laws. It controls and checks to minimize Rx errors meaning it double checks it. It is able to provide access to remote areas and create twenty four hour pharmacy service. This system makes it have less paper but more digital storage, such as, signatures, and patient’s records. It solves financial problems because e-prescribe saves $0.97 per prescription in pharmacy labor cost and all refills saved $0.37 per prescription in pharmacy labor costs. It is a great technology.

Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur (DMSO) is another device that has many abilities. This device can improve the delivery of the medications and help improve the pharmacy by helping medical polymer dissolve in DMSO and administer in solution into the body, which this process helps the patients to take the medication easier. This system is very precise of deliverance and this precise delivery is controlled by osmotic technology. This device has been approved everywhere. This device was proved in parenteral products, Oral products, and products for animal health. “Stabilizing product formulations: DMSO may be present in product formulations as a cosolvent intended to keep formulation components in solution.” (Mckim, 74) This means that it keeps the medication in great condition. “The delivery of medical polymers may be dissolved in DMSO and administered in solution into the body.” (Mckim, 74) The medication, polymer, would easily be dissolved with DMSO and would be easily injected to the body.

DMSO was introduced in the early 1960 but was not able to establish it because of some issues. In the 1960s, the device could not be able to prescribe the right drug for the patients. It would prescribe wrong medications. The device, DMSO, was abusing pharmacists and patients. These issues made a huge influence and they tried very hard to improve this device. Now, it has passed the test and it is being released.

There are similarities and differences in these two sources. The similarity between these two sources is that they are both two new technology that would improve pharmacy. They both reduce the errors that are made in prescription. The difference is that each technology has different kinds of jobs. DMSO is a device where it helps the medication stay fresh. E-prescription is a system that helps deliver the medication simply and without errors. This system also helps the patients easier and comfortable to pick up their medication.

It is certainly improving after researching about these new technologies. Many scientists are working hard to get rid of the disadvantages that they had in the past. My object – text was a pharmacist that I interviewed and pharmacy, where I overviewed pharmacy. Like the two sources that I have researched, technologies were not being used in the pharmacy yet. The issue begins here. If all these new technologies are being invented and being established, why are they not using the new technologies immediately? Also, would it make a big impact in pharmacy? As of now, patient fills the form about the general information about themselves and the insurance that they have. Then, pharmacist takes the prescription and the form with them and enters the information into the computer, which tells everything about the medication. If they replace the technology called E-prescribe, the process would be easier and have fewer errors. If they want to improve deliverance of medications, they should immediately change this because we won’t have to see anymore of the errors that are made.

As I was doing my research about this topic, many questions have been developed. My next inquiry question would be “how do these new technologies affect/ play a role in pharmacy?” As I was doing this essay, it helped me develop more knowledge about these new technologies.

Work Cited

Dietz, Don, RPh. “Emerging Pharmacy Technology: Rx for success”. January 27, 2006.

Kim, Jina. Personal interview. 10 Sept. 2008

Mckim, A.S. & Sturb, Robert. “Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices.” Pharmaceutical Technology May 2008 Volume 32. 5 Dec 2007. 74-84

Esther Yang

9:05AM – 10:00AM class

Prof. Jason Arenstein

Cover Page

It was very interesting to write about this topic again. I was able to learn more about it in details. After reading and writing about these sources, I realized how people are working so hard to improve this situation. It was difficult to combine these sources as one because it was two different sources that talks about two different technologies. Also, my object text was another technology and methods to deliver drugs. I think it would have been better if my object text was better so it would have been easier for me to relate these two sources. I don’t know if I did the right thing that Prof. Jason Arenstein asked us to do. It was very difficult to understand the task for this essay.

Semester Topic: Technology solves few issues but brings some negative issues to delivering drugs.

Inquiry Question:

1. Is pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technology?

2. How do these new technologies affect pharmacy?

Object-Text: Pharmacist/Pharmacy

Two sources:

1. Mckim, A.S. & Sturb, Robert, “Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices” May 2008 Volume 32 number pg 74-84. December 5, 2007

2. Don Dietz RPh. “Emerging Pharmacy Technology: Rx for Success” January 27, 2006

Topic: This essay is to build on the inquiry question by using two lens texts to re-interpret the object text.

Title: Innovation of Pharmacy

I. Intro of my first inquiry question

II. Brief intro about my object text

A. Over viewing pharmacy and interview with pharmacists

B. Discuss/summary

III. Introduction to my secondary source

A. Slides (E-prescribing)

1. Summary/Discuss

IV. My second secondary source

V. How my two secondary sources take position for object – text

A. Explain my thesis by analyzing supporting and complicating evidence

VI. Conclusion

1. New question that arise: How do these technologies affect pharmacy?

2. Reflect

Innovation of Pharmacy

The first time I entered pharmacy, I was amazed by the medication available to the people. It was stacked inside a glossy package and placed on a tall shelve. We see that pharmacy is constantly changing how pharmacists deliver medications to us. The methods have been changing by inventing new technologies to find the best way to deliver medications to patients. Technologies have helped pharmacy improve but it was leading into different issues, for example, if they find advantages, they would find disadvantages. The question that arises would be if it is possible to resolve this issue, while retaining the advantages of technology.

Over viewing and interviewing a local pharmacist helped me gather information about the technology that they use today. It is a simple technology that looks like a computer. It indicates the location, label, and the usage of a drug. This technology reduces the error in prescribing the drugs. But the disadvantage is that the system would be hacked because the information is not locked. They are working how to put these information locked so no one would be able to hack into the computer. This technology can resolve on delivering drugs. This information can identify that the process is getting better and have evolved from the past.

The question is “Is the pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technologies?” Throughout the two sources, it has been proved that many technicians are trying hard to make many different kinds of technologies to improve to process/deliverance. One source is scholarly source, which is called Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices. Second source is the non-scholarly source. It is a blog where vice president of pharmacy health care solution, Inc. discusses about the new technology called e-prescribe.

Don Dietz R.Ph., M.S., vice president of healthcare solutions, Inc., have introduced a new technology called e-prescription. The blog starts off with past disadvantages. In the past, biggest challenge was that all the system in pharmacy were outdated, using old barcodes, and have been patched together with bolted on enhancements. With replacing with new technology, it would make many issues be solved. The technology itself is cheaper and that has been updated. It would be able to scan bar codes, robotics, and it would be provided with automated product machine (ATM). The ATM machine for Rx is a machine for patients to pick up their medication in any markets that patients are comfortable to pick up at. Also this device would come with IVR technology that would remind the pharmacists about the refills and offers to enroll patients in manufacturer programs for targeted patients. E-prescribing would improve workflow and alternate site activities such as central fill, central processing, and load balancing. It controls and checks to minimize Rx errors. It is able to provide access to remote areas and create twenty four hour pharmacy service. This system makes it have less paper but more digital storage, such as, signatures, and patient’s records. It solves financial problems because e-prescribe saves $0.97 per prescription in pharmacy labor cost and all refills saved $0.37 per prescription in pharmacy labor costs. It is a great technology.

Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur (DMSO) is another device that has many abilities. This device can improve the delivery of the medications and help improve the pharmacy by helping medical polymer dissolve in DMSO and administer in solution into the body, which this process helps the patients to take the medication easier. This system is very precise of deliverance and this precise delivery is controlled by osmotic technology. This device has been approved everywhere. This device was proved in parenteral products, Oral products, and products for animal health. “Stabilizing product formulations: DMSO may be present in product formulations as a cosolvent intended to keep formulation components in solution.” (Mckim, 74) This means that it keeps the medication in great condition. “The delivery of medical polymers may be dissolved in DMSO and administered in solution into the body.” (Mckim, 74) The medication, polymer, would easily be dissolved with DMSO and would be easily injected to the body.

DMSO was introduced in the early 1960 but was not able to establish it because of some issues. In the 1960s, the device could not be able to prescribe the right drug for the patients. It would prescribe wrong medications. The device, DMSO, was abusing pharmacists and patients. These issues made a huge influence and they tried very hard to improve this device. Now, it has passed the test and it is being released.

There are similarities and differences in these two sources. The similarity between these two sources is that they are both two new technology that would improve pharmacy. They both reduce the errors that are made in prescription. The difference is that each technology has different kinds of jobs. DMSO is a device where it helps the medication stay fresh. E-prescription is a system that helps deliver the medication simply and without errors. This system also helps the patients easier and comfortable to pick up their medication.

It is certainly improving after researching about these new technologies. Many scientists are working hard to get rid of the disadvantages that they had in the past. My object – text was a pharmacist that I interviewed and pharmacy, where I overviewed pharmacy. Like the two sources that I have researched, technologies were not being used in the pharmacy yet. The issue begins here. If all these new technologies are being invented and being established, why are they not using the new technologies immediately? As of now, patient fills the form about the general information about themselves and the insurance that they have. Then, pharmacist takes the prescription and the form with them and enters the information into the computer, which tells everything about the medication. If they replace the technology called E-prescribe, the process would be easier and have fewer errors. If they want to improve deliverance of medications, they should immediately change this because we won’t have to see anymore of the errors that are made.

As I was doing my research about this topic, many questions have been developed. My next inquiry question would be “how do these new technologies affect/ play a role in pharmacy?” As I was doing this essay, it helped me develop more knowledge about these new technologies.

Work Cited

Don Dietz RPh. “Emerging Pharmacy Technology: Rx for success” January 27, 2006

Mckim, A.S. & Sturb, Robert, “Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices” May 2008 Volume 32 number pg 74-84. December 5, 2007

Local pharmacists, pharmacy September 10, 2008

Esther Yang

Prof. Jason Arenstein

ROC 2

Part 1: Reading Reflection

            There are two sources that I will be using throughout this ROC 2. One source is scholarly source. It is from a pharmacy journal called Pharmaceutical Technology. It is from May 2008 Volume 32 Numbers. It is called Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices. This would be a great source because it would help me determine whether the new technologies are improving pharmacy. This source has specific technologies that could prove my inquiry question. It also tells the positive effects about the technologies.  Second source that I’m using is non-scholarly source. It is a blog where Vice President of pharmacy healthcare solutions, Inc. discusses about the new technology. This is also a good source because it sticks with one technology and tells the great affects to it. This also likely answers the inquiry question.

Part 2: Reading Reflection

Topic: New technologies in pharmacy

Inquiry Question: Is pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technology?

Thesis: New technologies are inventing to improve pharmacy.

Major pieces of supporting and complicating evidence:

Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices

By: A.S. McKim and Robert Sturb

(DMSO) importance

Dimethyl sulfoxide USP in dosage forms and devices

Marked products

Formulation aspects

Regulatory affairs

Toxicology and health effects

Conclusion

Emerging Pharmacy Technology: RX for Success
Don Dietz R.Ph., M.S. (Vice president healthcare solutions, Inc.)

Agenda

Biggest challenges

Tardy on Technology

Technology factors

New generation

Chains

Key Components of New Pharmacy Dispensing System

Electronic Prescribing

ATM Machine for RX

New Generation

Technology Considerations

Benefits

Predictions

Generic

Part 3: Observation

            Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur (DMSO) is a device that has many abilities. This device can improve the delivery of the medications and help improve the pharmacy. This product has been approved everywhere. This device was proved in parenteral products, Oral products, and products for animal health. This device help medical polymer dissolve in DMSO and administer in solution into the body, which helps the patients. This device is also very precise of deliverance and this precise delivery is controlled by osmotic technology.

Mckim, A.S. & Sturb, Robert, “Dimethyl Sulfoxide USP, PhEur in Approved Pharmaceutical Products and Medical Devices” May 2008 Volume 32 number pg 74-84. December 5, 2007.

            This blog describes the new technology called e-prescription. It begins with the biggest challenges facing chain pharmacy. Also it talks about the current technology. Current system are outdated, using old code, and have been patched together with bolted on enhancements. But e-prescription system is a cheaper technology which can, scan barcodes, robotics, IVR, and Automated product machine. Also it solves financial problems too. After having this system, pharmacist salary rates would increase. It’s a great system to use.

Don Dietz RPh. “Emerging Pharmacy Technology: Rx for Success” January 27, 2006

Part 4: Contemplation: Comparison and Contrast

            The question is “Is pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technologies?” Technology has been improving throughout the years to help improve pharmacy. Throughout these two sources, it has been proved that many technicians are trying hard to make many different kinds of technologies to improve. These two articles talk about a technology that improves the deliverance of medication.

            There are similarities and differences in these two sources. The similarity between these two sources is that they are both about two new different kinds of technologies that improve pharmacy.  The system called DMSO plays a great role in pharmacy. “Stabilizing product formulations: DMSO may be present in product formulations as a cosolvent intended to keep formulation components in solution.” (Mckim, 74) This means that it keeps the medication in great condition. “The delivery of medical polymers may be dissolved in DMSO and administered in solution into the body.” (Mckim, 74) The medication, polymer would easily be dissolved with DMSO and would be easily injected to the body. DMSO is a great system like E-prescription. E-prescription is a new and cheap technology that is available. It is able to scan bar codes, robotics, IVR, and automated product machine. Also this technology can increase the rate of pharmacist’s salary. This technology reduces the error of prescription.

            There are some differences about these two sources. They are two different kinds of technology that does different kinds of jobs. DMSO is a device that helps the medication fresh while E-prescription is a system that helps deliver the medication simply and without errors.  

Esther Yang

9:05AM – 10:00 AM class

Prof. Jason Arenstein

Cover Page

   I enjoyed writing about a topic that I am very interested in. After this research, I have learned a lot about the pharmacy. Through this research, I was able to discover new things about the process about the pharmacy and the technologies that pharmacists use. It was very difficult for me to come up with an inquiry question for this essay but I was still able to come up with one after getting help from the writing center and the conference that I had with Prof. Jason Arenstein. My first essay was not organized. I was able to organize better when I was revising the essay. Also I learned to give details and to tell in-depth. I was able to fix the format of the essay. I had difficulty finding/understanding the object-text. Through my revision, I was able to fix and learn about the essay.    

Semester Topic: Technology solves few issues but brings some negative issues to delivering drugs.

Inquiry Question: Is pharmacy in the process of improving thanks to new technology?

Object-text: Pharmacist/pharmacy

Essay inquiry question: How can we best resolve this issue, while retaining the advantages of technology?

Topic: This essay is about my research that I did to find the answer if it’s possible to resolve the issue.

Title: Innovation of Pharmacy

I.                   Inquiry question: How can we best resolve this issue, while retaining the advantages of technology?

II.                Thesis: The pharmacy uses a computer that lists all the drugs that they need.

III.             Introduction:

A.    Introduce the topic: intro about the technology

IV.             Research that I did

A.    introduce what I did

B.     Explain the process

*Explain each point in details

V.                Negative affects about the technology

VI.             Conclusion

Innovation of Pharmacy

            Technologies have been evolved over the years. Technologies have helped pharmacy improve delivering drugs to the patients. Even though these new technologies are improving, it leads to different issues about these new procedures/technologies. The next question would be if it is possible to resolve this issue, while retaining the advantages of technology. With my research, it shows what kind of technology pharmacy uses and shows the positive and negative issues about this technology.

            Pharmacy uses a great technology today. It is a computer that has many great advantages about the drugs. This technology reduces the error in prescribing the drugs. Also, it made easier for the pharmacists to find the location of the drugs. This technology is able to explain the usage of the drug that is being prescribed.

The process of delivering drugs has changed over the years. In the past, computers were not used. Instead, pharmacists used fax machine to contact with the doctors and the insurance company. To find the drug, they would look up in the book and find the usage of it and give the right amount to the patients.

Through my own research, I interviewed a local pharmacist and observed the pharmacy, which gave me information about the technology that they use today. First, the patient fills the form about general information about themselves and the insurance that they have. A pharmacist takes the prescription and the form with them and enters the information into the computer. Once you enter the information, patient’s name, his/her doctor, the drug, information about the drug, and the usage of the drug appears. Pharmacist then goes to the back where the drugs are and finds the drug. The drugs are alphabetical order. Once the pharmacist finds it, they print out the label and counts/measures the amount that patient needs. Finally, pharmacist explains how to take the medication to the patient.

            The computer that they use has many advantages and disadvantages. This computer is very useful because it is well organized. It tells the information about the patient, drugs, location of the drugs, and the usage of the drugs. It is accurate and takes less time. Even though there are many advantages, there are disadvantages. These informations maybe hacked. Also, when a new medication is made, it would take process to upgrade the information. 

            Doctors have been cooperating with pharmacists. In order to improve, they have a booklet where the drugs are listed with the information about the drugs. If the doctors are not sure about the medication, they would look it up in the booklet so they would not be able to make mistake. But this does not solve all the issues. These booklets would have to be upgraded/renewed certain time. Everyday information is upgraded so this new booklet would have a disadvantage.    

The methods have improved from the past. Computers are being used, where it shows every little detail about the patient and the drugs. It has changed and improved to be a better pharmacy. In order to resolve these issues, while retaining the advantages of technology, pharmacists, doctors, and inventors are working on this problem and trying to invent different technology that would have only advantages.

        Pharmacists are trying hard to resolve this issue. They are trying hard to get rid of the disadvantages and only have advantages for this technology. They are working how to put these information locked so no one would be able to hack into the computer. They are also working hard to make sure the system is upgraded instantly.

        Technologies and the process have improved how to deliver drugs. The process has been changed over the years. Before, pharmacists and doctors would have to use their own knowledge to prescribe the drugs but now they have sources to make sure it is the right medication that patients have to take. This source would be the computer that they use in pharmacy. It tells everything about the drugs. This technology can resolve on delivering drugs. It tells the usage of the drugs, location of the drugs, and information about the patients. Doctors and pharmacists are still working hard to find and resolve the best way to deliver drugs by retaining the advantage of technology. Through my research, we can identify that the process is getting better and have evolved from the past. The technology is improving.

MLA

Dr. Kim, local pharmacists, September 26, 2008

Local Pharmacy        

Esther Yang

9:05AM – 10:00 AM class

Cover Page

After this research, I have learned a lot about the pharmacy. I have learned that there were many errors due to prescribing wrong medications. I knew this had to be fixed because it was harming the patients. I am glad that doctors and pharmacists are still working hard to find the best way to deliver the drugs to patients.

OUTLINE

I. Introduction:

A. Introduce the topic: Doctors and pharmacists are working together to improve the method of delivering drugs.

B. Explain why they are doing this.

C. What research is about

II. Research that I did

A. introduce what I did

B. Explain the process

*Explain each point in details

III. Past process

A. Explain

IV. Compare and contrast

A. Technology

B. Education

C. Law changed

V. Conclusion

A. how they improved it

B. compare and contrast

C. tell “this is the end”

Doctors and pharmacist are working together to improve the method of delivering drugs. They are doing this process because there were many errors that were made and result in other sickness or even death. For that reason, pharmacists and doctors have been attempting to decrease the errors by searching the new ways to deliver drugs. Over the years, many technologies, laws, and education have changed. With my research, it tells the process of delivering drugs today.

Through my own research, I interviewed a local pharmacist and observed the pharmacy, which gave me information about the process of delivering drugs today. First, the patient fills the form about general information about themselves and the insurance that they have. A pharmacist takes the prescription and the form with them and enters the information into the computer. Once you enter the information, patient’s name, his/her doctor, the drug, information about the drug, and the usage of the drug appears. Pharmacist then goes to the back where the drugs are and finds the drug. The drugs are alphabetical order. Once the pharmacist finds it, they print out the label and counts/measures the amount that patient needs. Finally, pharmacist explains how to take the medication to the patient. If a patient wants control drugs (such as Tylenol), they would have to show their id to the pharmacist. It is against the law to sell drugs to underage patients.

Doctors have been cooperating with pharmacists. In order to decrease the errors, they have a booklet where the drugs are listed with the information about the drugs. If the doctors are not sure about the medication, they would look it up in the booklet so they would not be able to make mistake.

The process of delivering drugs has changed over the years. In the past, computers were not used. Instead, pharmacists used fax machine to contact with the doctors and the insurance company. To find the drug, they would look up in the book and find the usage of it and give the right amount to the patients.

Doctors did not have the booklet back in the days. They would have to memorize the drugs and give out prescriptions to the patients with their own knowledge. This method caused many errors.

The methods have improved from the past. Technology, education, and law have changed over the years. Computers are being used, where it shows every little detail about the patient and the drugs. Education has changed also to become a pharmacist. In the past, the Pharm D. program was only five years. After five years, they would become a pharmacist. Now, the program changed to six years. Future pharmacists are being more educated. Laws have gotten stricter over the years. Control drugs were never invented. If a person was sick, that person would purchase it without any I.D. or a prescription. In the present, things have changed. In order to buy these control drugs, I.D. needs to be provided and underage patients are not allowed to buy these products.

Technologies, educations, and laws improved how to deliver drugs. The process has been changed over the years. Before, pharmacists and doctors would have to use their own knowledge to prescribe the drugs but now they have sources to make sure it is the right medication that patients have to take. Increasing the year of education makes the pharmacists gain more knowledge about the pharmacy department and about the drugs. Laws have changed by not selling drugs to underage patients without prescription. This law is good because patients would not harm themselves by taking a wrong medication unless they really need to take it. Doctors and pharmacists are still working hard to find the best way to deliver drugs. Through my research, we can identify that the process is getting better and have evolved from the past.

MLA

Dr. Jae Rhee, local pediatrician, September 11, 2008

Dr. Kim, local pharmacists, September 10, 2008

Part 1

            I am here to explore and research about pharmacy today. Things have changed throughout the years since pharmacy had started. I am interested in new equipments that have been evolved over the years and how pharmacy is improving on how to deliver drugs to the patients. Professors, pharmacists, and articles would help me to research about these topics. This semester I will be talking about the innovations of pharmacy.

Part 2

-Reverse outline-(Article- digiMedical Solutions, Inc.’s Proprietary Pharmacy Technology, digiRX, Helps Company Reduce Operating Costs by Over $25,000 per Month)

intro for digiRX™

 digiRX™

David Lee’s statement

digiMedical Solutions (about it)

records and securities

MLA

digiMedical Solutions, Inc.’s Proprietary Pharmacy Technology, digiRX, Helps Company Reduce Operating Costs by Over $25,000 per Month

            “digiMedical Solutions, Inc.’s Proprietary Pharmacy Technology, digiRX, Helps Company Reduce Operating Costs by Over $25,000 per Month“. Market Wire. . FindArticles.com. 07 Sep. 2008. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200709/ai_n20516552

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_pwwi/is_200709?pnum=2&opg=n20516552&tag=artBody;col1

            DigiMedical Solutions, Inc. ™ is a pharmacy where they concentrate on developing a new technology for the future. They announced a new technology called digiRX™ which improved the pharmacy by sending prescriptions from the doctors to the pharmacy. This has been very useful and has decreased the error that they had before.

Part3

Research problem – Does it take time to process the prescriptions from the doctors? Are there any negative issues about this new technology?

-Are there any other technologies that make pharmacists easier than this one?

Part 4

            When pharmacy was introduced, there have been many errors that occurred and needed to be fixed. Many researchers, chemists, and pharmacists have been working hard to improve these problems. They have been putting efforts to develop new/better equipments and to find the best way to deliver drugs to the patients.

            Professor Serifan from St. Johns University said “One of the hot topics is the question “What is the best way to deliver drugs? Example, nano technology would be the technology .” One pharmacist said that most pharmacy uses computer to see where the drugs are located and to label the drugs. These technologies have been improving.

            The article “digiMedical Solutions, Inc.’s Proprietary Pharmacy Technology, digiRX, Helps Company Reduce Operating Costs by Over $25,000 per Month” describes another new technology that has been developed in pharmacy.   DigiMedical Solutions, Inc. ™ is a pharmacy where they concentrate on developing a new technology for the future. They announced a new technology called digiRX™ which improved the pharmacy by sending prescriptions from the doctors to the pharmacy. This has been very useful and has decreased the error that they had before.

            As these technologies have been improving, questions have been coming up if these technologies have negative issues. Also, if digiRX™ sends the prescription to the pharmacy digitally, would it take time to process the prescription? These questions and research problem would be a big role of the conversation because it will lead to a next step of the research.

Like this new technology, digiRX™, many people are working their best to make pharmacy better so patients would be comfortable and trust the medications that they are taking.

Part 5

            Pharmacy magazines would be my object-text. A magazine that explains the updates of pharmacy would be a good source of this research.  

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