Pharmacy Informatics and Technology Flashcards
6 cards from real Pharmacy practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pharmacy Informatics and Technology flashcards as text
Computerized Provider Order Entry (CPOE) with CDS reduces medication errors primarily by:
Answer: Replacing illegible handwritten orders with standardized electronic orders and real-time safety alerts
CPOE eliminates transcription errors from illegible handwriting and integrates CDS alerts for interactions, allergies, and dose ranges at the time of ordering — the medication safety impact of CPOE + CDS is well established.
A pharmacy tech notices the robot dispensing system (e.g., ScriptPro) dispensed the wrong NDC for a medication. The FIRST step is to:
Answer: Stop the dispensing run, quarantine affected prescriptions, and notify the pharmacist immediately
Automated dispensing errors must be halted immediately. The pharmacist must be notified, affected prescriptions quarantined for review, and the system corrected before resuming operations — patient safety is the priority.
A National Drug Code (NDC) number has three segments. What do they represent, in order?
Answer: Labeler (manufacturer), product (drug, strength, dosage form), and package size
NDC format: Labeler Code (4–5 digits) – Product Code (3–4 digits, identifies drug/strength/form) – Package Code (1–2 digits, identifies package size/type). Total 10 digits (11 with leading zeros per FDA standard).
Which pharmacy technology uses robotics to automate the filling and counting of oral solid medications in retail/outpatient settings?
Answer: Automated tablet/capsule counting and packaging robots (e.g., ScriptPro, Parata)
Oral solid dispensing robots (ScriptPro, Parata, Kirby Lester) automate counting, filling, capping, and labeling of most common oral medications, reducing filling errors and freeing pharmacists for clinical activities.
A pharmacy's use of 'smart pumps' for IV infusions helps prevent medication errors by:
Answer: Using dose error reduction software (DERS) to alert nurses when programmed rates exceed pre-set drug limits
Smart infusion pumps with DERS (drug libraries) alert clinicians when programmed doses exceed pre-defined limits (soft or hard stops), catching programming errors before they reach the patient.
Medication reconciliation is a process performed at transitions of care (admission, transfer, discharge) to:
Answer: Compare a patient's current medication orders against all medications the patient has been taking to identify and resolve discrepancies
Medication reconciliation compares a patient's home medication list to their current orders at every care transition, catching omissions, duplications, interactions, and dosing errors that commonly occur during handoffs.