Ballad Health is a 21-hospital health system serving 29 counties across Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. The hospitals all had to hire and keep pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. The challenge only got tougher after COVID-19, when workforce shortages worsened.
The robot automates that process, retrieving and preparing medications in a fraction of the time. Eliminating that manual step has helped us free up valuable technician hours and reduce the chance of human error. Pharmacy technicians oversee the process at the central hub, making sure the machines are stocked and orders are filled accurately. Medications are then delivered and stocked into automated dispensing cabinets located in nursing units, operating rooms and other care areas across the hospitals.
By tracking utilization patterns and adjusting minimum and maximum stocking levels, we've been able to prevent stockouts and reduced waste by more than 64%, ensuring patients have timely access to needed therapies. Central inventory control has also minimized expired medications and improved formulary compliance, directly lowering pharmacy spend.