Implementation of intelligent pharmacy technologies in hospitals: a cross-sectional nationwide study

Medication errors pose critical threat to patient safety. The implementation of intelligent pharmacy technologies demonstrate great potential to reduce medication risks. This study aimed to investigate the current status of intelligent pharmacy technology implementation in Chinese hospitals. A nationwide survey was conducted from May 29 to June 10, 2025, covering 1,126 hospitals across China. Based on the Intelligent pharmacy products (IPDs) identified through the Delphi method, this survey mainly collected data on current utilization rates of the identified IPD. Pearson’s chi-square test was applied to compare usage rates across different hospital types. A total of 36 kinds of commonly used IPDs were identified and classified into six categories: intelligent drug supply (IDS), prescription review (IPR), drug preparation (IDP), drug distribution (IDD), medication consultation (IMC), and medication monitoring systems (IMM). Usage rates of these 6 types of systems varied significantly in hospital of different levels and number of beds (P < 0.001). Hospitals with a higher number of pharmacists per 100 beds (PPB≥ 7) reported significantly lower utilization rates of IPR, IMC, and IMM systems (P<0.001). Regionally, eastern coastal provinces such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, and Shandong demonstrated higher levels of intelligent pharmacy implementation. The implementation of intelligent pharmacy in China was uneven across regions, hospital levels, sizes, and pharmacist numbers. Future development should be supported by policy incentives and tailored to specific clinical needs, ensuring a balanced and sustainable advancement of intelligent pharmacy.