9. If you were buying medicine, how confident are you that it's
not fake? Wouldn’t you want a system where every medicine
could be traced back to its manufacturer for safety?"
10. According to the World Health Organization (WHO),
fake drugs cause nearly 1 million deaths annually.
11. Imagine living in a remote area where there’s
no pharmacy nearby. How would you access
life-saving medications?
13. Introduction to Pharmacy Informatics
Use of IT to optimize pharmaceutical care
Purpose: Enhance safety, efficiency, decision-
making
Covers inventory, prescriptions, clinical support
15. Pre-Computer Era (Before 1970s)
• Key Features:
• Manual compounding of medicines.
• All records on paper registers.
• Drug references from printed books (pharmacopoeias).
• No real-time tracking of inventory.
• Prescription errors common.
• Challenges:
• Illegible handwriting errors.
• No automated drug interaction checks.
• Difficult to track inventory or expiry.
Early IT Adoption (1970s)
• Key Features:
• Introduction of Patient Administrative Systems (PAS).
• First use of computers for billing and basic inventory.
• Digital records started replacing paper.
• Still no clinical decision support.
• Challenges:
• Systems expensive and bulky.
• Pharmacy seen only as logistics, not part of care team.
• Resistance to change from traditional pharmacists.
16. Automation Era (1980s)
• Key Features:
• Pharmacy-specific inventory and labelling systems.
• Automated stock management (expiry alerts, reorder levels).
• Electronic patient prescription logs (but still limited).
• Challenges:
• Systems not standardized.
• No integration with hospital records.
• Pharmacists had limited IT training.
Clinical Integration (1990s)
• Key Features:
• Pharmacy systems linked to hospital information systems.
• Introduction of Drug Information Systems.
• Clinical pharmacists consulted in care planning.
• Systems checked for interactions and allergies.
• Challenges:
• Inconsistent drug databases.
• Training gaps between clinical vs IT pharmacists.
• Data fragmentation between different hospital units.
17. Electronic Prescribing (2000s)
• Key Features:
• e-Prescribing (EPS) introduced.
• Prescriptions directly transmitted from doctors to pharmacy.
• Built-in safety checks (drug interactions, dosage).
• Introduction of Barcode Medication Administration (BCMA).
• Challenges:
• Alert fatigue (too many warnings).
• Legal and policy conflicts.
• Need to redesign entire prescription workflow.
Modern Era (2010s - Present)
• Key Features:
• Full integration with EHRs.
• Use of Pharmacy Robots for dispensing.
• Rise of Telepharmacy and mobile apps.
• Blockchain for supply chain security.
• AI-powered medication review and adherence alerts.
• Challenges:
• Data security & hacking threats.
• Interoperability (different systems don't talk easily).
• Costly technology adoption for small pharmacies.
18. Role of Computers in Pharmacy
• Inventory Management
• Prescription Management
• Clinical Decision Support
• Compounding and Dispensing Automation
• Electronic Medication Administration Records
(eMAR)
19. Pharmacy Management Systems
• Prescription processing
• Billing and insurance management
• Inventory control
• Regulatory compliance
• Patient counseling records
23. Hardware Applications
• Computers, Servers, Barcode Scanners
• Automated Dispensing Machines
• Smart Shelves with RFID
• Mobile Prescription Verification Devices
27. Benefits of IT in Pharmacy
• Simplify and speed up complex tasks
• Increase accuracy by checking spelling, calculations,
and data integrity
• Update and access information quickly
• Automate repetitive tasks• Provide management
information for decision making
• Allow organizations to expand operations
• Streamline administrative processes
• Generate timely reports without repetition
30. Assignments
Choose a Problem
Pick a specific issue
in pharmacy (e.g.,
medication errors,
drug shortages,
patient adherence).
Ensure it’s well-
defined and relevant.
Research the
Problem
Understand its
causes, impact, and
current solutions.
Use credible sources
like journals, case
studies, or reports.
Propose an IT
Solution
Identify a technology
(e.g., AI, blockchain,
EHRs, robotics) that
can address the
problem.
Explain how it works
and why it’s
effective.
Evaluate
Effectiveness
Cost: Does it reduce
expenses (e.g.,
operational costs,
waste)?
Health: Does it
improve patient
safety or outcomes?
Efficiency: Does it
make processes
faster or more
accurate?
31. 700 Words each for first three
Assignments
Presentation for 4th
Assignment
NO plag No AI
Vanocur style Referencing
