Heritage Valley Kennedy takes charge of controlled substances
Heritage Valley Kennedy, a 124-bed independent community hospital outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, smoothly transitions to new controlled substance and inventory automation technology that increases security and visibility, and frees up time for pharmacists.
The Challenge
The pharmacy was still using a manual process, including a large safe and paper recordkeeping, to track controlled substances. It needed an automated system that was simple to use—and would easily integrate with the hospital’s existing AcuDose-Rx® Automated Dispensing Cabinets.
The pharmacy was still using a manual process, including a large safe and paper recordkeeping, to track controlled substances. It needed an automated system that was simple to use—and would easily integrate with the hospital’s existing AcuDose-Rx® Automated Dispensing Cabinets.
The Solution
Activated Omnicell Product(s)
Central Pharmacy Dispensing Solution: Controlled Substance Manager
The hospital implemented the Omnicell® XT Controlled Substance Manager. The system automates manual processes and provides:
- Closed-loop restocking with AcuDose-Rx cabinets
- Up-to-date technology and a user-friendly interface
- Flexible, secure storage and electronic traceability
- Improved efficiency for managing workflow and inventory
From Three-Ring Binders to Closed-Loop Tracking
Until recently, pharmacists at Heritage Valley Kennedy had an entirely manual process for managing controlled substances—storing drugs in a crowded safe and keeping handwritten records in stacks of bulky three-ring binders. “It was very cumbersome,” said Michael Nan, Associate Vice President of Pharmacy Services at Heritage Valley Health System. “We’d fill up a binder in no time, and that safe was bursting at the seams.”
Today, though, the safe and binders are gone for good. In their place: Omnicell XT Controlled Substance Manager, which automates those previously manual processes and provides closed-loop restocking for the hospital’s arsenal of AcuDose-Rx Automated Dispensing Cabinets.
Simple, Seamless, and Secure
When an AcuDose-Rx cabinet is low on a controlled substance, it automatically sends an order to the XT Controlled Substance Manager in the pharmacy. A pharmacy technician then logs in, pulls out the required quantity, and delivers it to the AcuDose-Rx cabinet on the unit.
The process is electronically tracked every step of the way, from the pharmacy to patient care areas and back. That full accountability—and a user-friendly interface—gave Nan the confidence to have his techs dispense controlled substances, freeing pharmacists to focus on clinical duties. In addition, Nan can now access an accurate inventory count “at the click of a mouse.”
Staff feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, and hospital management is happy, too. In fact, the CEO recently emailed Nan to ask about the pharmacy’s efforts to prevent drug diversion. Nan’s response? XT Controlled Substance Manager.
“It closes the loop because it’s tracking what’s happening in the pharmacy and on the units. It’s full-circle,” he notes. “We really love it.”
The Impact
Key Benefits:
- Improved inventory management
- Increased efficiency
- Reduced diversion risk
Staff Benefits:
- A smooth transition to new technology
- Pharmacists freed up time for other tasks
- Fast adoption due to ease-of-use
"The unexpected surprise was how simple it is to use. It’s secure, has a small footprint, and it couldn’t be more intuitive. It just does what it’s supposed to do."
Michael Nan, Associate Vice President of Pharmacy Services
