(Management Case Study) Integration of Electronic Health Records with Voice-Activated Technology to Enhance Pharmacy Workflows

Purpose: This research aimed to integrate Electronic Health Records (EHR) with voice-activated technology to enhance pharmacy workflows at a community hospital. The primary goal was to improve the timely management and prioritization of critical medication orders, specifically focusing on bleed reversal agents. The initiative sought to address inefficiencies in traditional notification systems, streamline pharmacy operations, and enhance patient safety through real-time voice alerts.

Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted at a community hospital to evaluate the impact of voice-activated alerts on pharmacy workflow efficiency. The alerts were designed to notify pharmacists at the order verification workstation and pharmacy technicians in the sterile compounding area in real-time once a medication order for a bleed reversal agent—such as andexanet alfa, idarucizumab, protamine, and prothrombin complex concentrate [human]—was signed and pended for verification by a pharmacist. The study consisted of a three-month pre-implementation phase to assess baseline workflow efficiency, followed by a three-month post-implementation phase to evaluate the new system's impact. Two weeks prior to go-live, voice-enabled devices were integrated with the EHR, configured to issue voice alerts for specific medication orders, and pharmacy staff were trained on the new system. The primary outcome measured was the time from order sign to administration, as recorded in the medication administration record (MAR). Secondary outcomes included the time from order sign to verification.

Results: During the study period, 75 orders for bleed reversal agents were administered during the pre-implementation phase, and 61 orders were placed during the post-implementation phase. The mean time from order sign to administration was 38.7 minutes pre-implementation and decreased to 25.3 minutes post-implementation, reflecting a 34% reduction in time (P=0.03). For the order sign to verification data, the mean time was 7.57 minutes pre-implementation and decreased to 3.21 minutes post-implementation, indicating a 57.6% reduction (p < 0.01). These results highlight the effectiveness of voice-activated alerts in significantly reducing the time taken to process and administer critical medications, thereby enhancing overall workflow efficiency.

Conclusion: The integration of voice-activated technology with EHR significantly enhanced the efficiency of pharmacy workflows at the community hospital. The system improved the prioritization and timely administration of critical medications, demonstrating a substantial reduction in processing times and enhancing patient safety. This approach can serve as a model for other healthcare institutions aiming to optimize their pharmacy operations through advanced technological integrations. The success of this project underscores the potential for wider implementation across multiple healthcare settings, offering a scalable solution to common inefficiencies in pharmacy workflows and setting a new standard for patient care through innovative use of technology.