ScriptPro Robots Offer Safe and Secure Features for Handling Controlled Substances

ScriptPro Robots Offer Safe and Secure Features for Handling Controlled Substances

Abuse of prescription drugs, specifically controlled substances like Hydrocodone products, are leading to stringent monitoring of these medications in the U.S. This is creating new challenges for the pharmacy industry – for pharmacies and wholesalers, and among pharmacy staff dispensing medications to patients. ScriptPro robots, integrated with Eyecon® technology, are equipped to securely and safely work with controlled substances (CS) to benefit pharmacy staff and patients alike.

How exactly are ScriptPro automation systems equipped to tackle CS challenges? Read on.

Eliminating Counting Discrepancies and Ensure Accurate Labeling:

By regulation, store staff must count all CS products on a regular basis and make reports to the company and, in some circumstances, also to DEA and other regulatory agencies if there are discrepancies. Because of this requirement, pharmacies have resisted loading all of their CS stock into a robot. They either do not put CS in the robot at all or leave these products on the shelf in unopened stock bottles for as long as possible and just pour the drugs into the robot when they need to open a bottle.

In order to address this problem, a ScriptPro robot’s cell label printer can print out a label to stick on the back of the drug cell. This label can be scanned into the Eyecon so that, when you need to count down a drug cell, all you have to do is scan it and pour the contents onto the Eyecon counting tray. You can do multiple pours if the quantity exceeds the capacity of the counting tray.

Some ScriptPro customers also use Eyecon to count the contents of a CS stock bottle when they open it and before pouring the contents into a drug cell. This catches discrepancies in the stock bottle count vs. the advertised quantity. Read more about ScriptPro’s interface with Eyecon.

Electronic Door Locks:

Another security feature available with ScriptPro robots is Electronic Door Locks, which restrict and control user access to drug stock. To access the cabinet, users must enter or scan an electronic PIN code, which immediately unlocks the cabinet doors. The system tracks the date/time and user who opened the doors, and after a configurable amount of time, the doors auto-relock once they are closed.

The Locking Cell Column:

feature works with electronic door locks to limit access to the 25 cells located in Column A of the robotics cabinet. When an operator requests access to the cabinet, the cell security door covers and locks these cells unless the operator specifically requests access to them and presents proper security credentials. This feature allows secure storage in the robot of any drugs that require additional control and allows date/timestamp and reporting of which operators have accessed the secure location.

Reinforced Doors:

The Reinforced Doors option provides a robust, secure, reinforced door for ScriptPro robots. The glass doors are strengthened with perforated metal, which partially conceal drug stock and deter break-ins. They are easy to open and provide sufficient close-up cabinet viewing for pharmacy staff.

With these safety and security measures in place, ScriptPro has a powerful approach for efficiently handling CS products in our robots. We add efficiency and accuracy to every step in the process – in receiving and loading CS stock, physical security of the stock, authorizing and electronically recording access to the stock, second count verification upon dispensing the stock, and compliance with mandates for CS stock count verification.