ur Current Greatest Need
Automated Dispensing Cabinets (ADCs)
Automated Dispensing
Cabinets (ADCs) are used to securely store medications on each nursing unit and
in the Operating Rooms. The ADC provides inventory controls, including
trackable access, stock level management, and medication selection based on Physician
orders for each patient. The cabinets ensure that the correct medications are
easily obtainable by the nurses, reducing the time spent sourcing the
medications needed by their patients, and allowing more time for direct patient
care.
This equipment
safeguards all medications and provides tracking of each drug from the time it
is prescribed until it is given to the patient. The technology tracks expiration
dates, storage temperatures and stock levels – ensuring the correct drugs are available
and in optimal condition. They ensure that medications with similar names
and looks do not get mixed up, as every medication has a barcode to be scanned.
The ADCs eliminate the potential for medication errors, by connecting directly
to each patient's electronic Medication Administration Record. This connection
allows nursing to select each medication directed by what has been prescribed
by the Physician.
The inventory
management of the ADCs also ensures that similarly named medications are not
stored beside one another, alerts pop up on-screen when nurses select a
medication (such as allergies, drug interactions and dosage warning), and that
every Physician entered order is verified by a pharmacist to ensure clinical
appropriateness for the patient.
The existing ADCs will
not be supported by the vendor after December 31, 2025, and will become obsolete,
which means they will no longer function and will not be able to be secured.
Without replacement ADCs, medication management throughout the facility will be
transitioned back to old, inefficient manual stock methods that do not align
with required medication and patient safety standards.
Many benefits have come from having Automated Dispensing Cabinets at WDMH,
including streamlined access to medications, increase in patient safety and
reduction of medication related errors. This equipment provides safe and secure
access to medications across the facility, and we hope that WDMH will continue
to benefit from this technology for many years to come.
On behalf of WDMH
staff, patients and patients' family members, we would like to extend our most
sincere and profound appreciation for your contribution to the replacement of
our Automated Dispensing Cabinets. We acknowledge, and admire, your support of our
goal for increased patient safety, and we are honoured to be partnered with you
in our journey for Compassionate Excellence.
The estimated cost of these cabinets is over $1.6 million.
You can make a donation towards these cabinets in the following ways:
- visit the donation module of our website: General Donation and make a gift to the General Equipment Fund - please state in the note that the gift is for the ADCs
- call our office at 613-774-2422 x6162 and make a donation with your credit card
- stop by our office at the hospital to donate in person via cash, cheque, debit or credit card
- Mail your cheque to WDMH Foundation, 566 Louise St, Winchester ON K0C 2K0
- Call Erin at 613-774-2422 x6769 to discuss making a gift via shares, stocks or leaving a legacy gift.
If you would like to learn more about other greatest equipment needs at WDMH and how you can help, please contact Cindy Ault Peters, Executive Director at 613-774-2422 ext. 6169.
The brand of the cabinets is called Omnicell.
We need to purchase ten of the 1-cell cabinets (first photo); three of the 2-cell cabinets (second photo) and three of the Anesthesia carts for the Operating Room (third photo).
In addition, we require 2 units of the CSM, or Controlled Substance Manager system, which manages controlled substances within a healthcare setting. It focuses on the security, accuracy, and efficiency of handling these medications, particularly narcotics, from dispensing to reconciliation. It also allows for perpetual inventory management, automated audit trails, and integration with other dispensing systems.
ADC 1-cell cabinet:
ADC 2-cell cabinet:
Anesthesia Cart:
