Implementation and evaluation of an IV room technology-assisted workflow system integrated within the electronic medical record at oncology infusion center pharmacies.

PURPOSE: To describe the implementation of an IV room technology-assisted workflow (TAWF) system integrated within a health system's electronic medical record (EMR) and compare the TAWF system's impact in improving workflow at multiple ambulatory infusion pharmacies. SUMMARY: IV room TAWFs help to standardize intravenous admixture operations while incorporating patient safety measures such as ingredient barcode scanning and image capture. The 4 oncology infusion center pharmacies of a large health system implemented a TAWF system integrated within the health system's EMR software, transitioning to the new TAWF system from an external TAWF system operating outside of the EMR. Considerable planning was required to determine the hardware and workflow processes needed for the new integrated TAWF system to function within pharmacy IV rooms. Several operational challenges were encountered during the initial implementation phase of the project. Frequent occurrence of system malfunctions during the product imaging step was the largest problem, which was overcome by special hardware and a software upgrade. The project also involved an evaluation of the integrated TAWF system after implementation to ensure the pharmacies maintained operational efficiency and patient safety. The evaluation showed that after an initial transition period, the new technology was able to maintain IV admixture efficiency and safety. CONCLUSION: This project and subsequent evaluation showed the operational feasibility, efficiency, and safety of a TAWF integrated within the health system's EMR software.