Reconstruction and Optimization of the Operational Workflow Model in an Inpatient Pharmacy Before and After Implementation of a Wireless Communication-Based Intelligent Drug Dispensing and Traceability System

This study aimed to assess workflow changes and identify optimization strategies following the implementation of a wireless communication-based Intelligent Drug Dispensing and Traceability System (IDDTS) in an inpatient pharmacy setting, with the goal of improving operational efficiency and the accuracy of medication order processing and dispensing. A pre–post observational study was conducted over two consecutive 30-working-day periods before and after IDDTS implementation to document changes in the medication order dispensing workflow. User Journey Mapping and Root Cause Analysis were employed to investigate potential causes of the low utilization of the IDDTS for processing one-time medication orders. Based on the findings, the workflow for one-time medication orders was redesigned and optimized.The effectiveness of these interventions was evaluated by comparing key performance indicators before and after the process reconstruction. The implementation of the IDDTS, together with workflow redesign and optimization, reduced redundant steps and improved medication order dispensing performance, including workflow efficiency and dispensing accuracy. Utilization of the system for one-time medication orders and overall staff satisfaction also improved. The IDDTS shows considerable potential to streamline inpatient pharmacy dispensing operations and support workflow optimization for medication order processing and distribution. Further refinements are recommended to fully realize its benefits in routine practice.