Watch our new tutorial video on the Narcotics Cabinet to learn how pharmacists can oversee the dispensing of drugs and narcotics by clinicians at the point of care.
IDENTI’s secure, automated narcotics cabinet enables decentralized dispensing in surgical areas while facilitating oversight and control by pharmacists.
Watch the video to see how the Narcotics Cabinet is easy to use and provides a full audit trail per clinician.
The IDENTI Medical Narcotics Cabinet is an innovative, secure narcotics cabinet. It enables narcotics and controlled drugs to be quickly and easily dispensed by clinicians at the point of use, while allowing pharmacists to manage and oversee the complete dispensing process.
The Narcotics Cabinet works with the IDENTI managing system to provide an interoperable inventory management software solution, with full interoperability.
The narcotics cabinet and software work together to provide:
- full inventory visibility
- full compliance with all drug administration regulations
- effective expiry and recall management
- reports and data insights – usage by patient/doctor/procedure, cost analysis, stock alerts and more
Pharmacy Narcotics Cabinet
The IDENTI Narcotics Cabinet supports decentralized dispensing within the OR and procedure room setting. Designed for quick and easy usage by clinicians, with in-built control and oversight by pharmacists.
It has different functionality for doctors and pharmacists. This video focuses on how pharmacists can use the cabinet and covers four key tasks:
- filling the cabinet with replacement items
- removing returned items
- maintenance of the cells
- inventory counts and validation
Features of the IDENTI Narcotics Cabinet
Safety and Accountability:
The Narcotics Cabinet is secure, only allowing access to permitted users. It validates staff requesting entry with facial recognition or fingerprint technology.
Once a member of staff accesses the cabinet, their usage is logged, meaning that everyone is held accountable for their actions.
The drawers and shelves are very strong and cannot be opened forcibly without the system unlocking them.
Cabinet Size:
IDENTI’s smart Narcotics Cabinet comes in two sizes so that on-site dispensing can still be an option for smaller spaces. The larger cabinet has 1,000 cells and the smaller one has 200 cells. Both contain a bottom drawer reserved for the management of returned items.
Returning Unused Narcotics:
The IDENTI Narcotics Cabinet provides a simple way to track returns at the point of use, ensuring the quick, efficient and compliant management of controlled substances – right down to the individual doctor and patient level.
It has a simple two-stage process
- return of the unused item by the doctor (inc. a system date and time stamp)
- validation and authorization by the pharmacist
Any discrepancies can be followed up and discussed with the relevant doctor.
Easy Filling of New Stock:
Filling the narcotics cabinet is easy as the system constantly steers you, for example, there is built-in signposting to direct the pharmacist to the correct drawer and cell for each specific medication being refilled.
Filling the Narcotics Cabinet is easy and includes the logging of the batch number and expiration date of each item. This information is used to carefully control all stock.
- Routine reports are generated that flag up:
- close-to-expiring items
- recalled batches
- items that are low in stock
The accurate sensing and tracking of items in the IDENTI Narcotics Cabinet enables these high value, controlled products to be carefully managed. The preventative nature of the system ensures proper stock rotation and reduces errors, for example, the dispensing of expired of recalled items. The RFID Narcotics Cabinet and IDENTI Platform ensure efficient inventory management that reduces risk, wastage and cost.
Watch this video on the IDENTI Narcotics Cabinet to see how easy it is for pharmacists to manage a decentralized narcotics cabinet being used at the point of care.
Other articles on this topic: Benefits of an automated dispensing cabinet in the perioperative setting – IDENTI Medical
