PETALING JAYA: The National Heart Institute (IJN) has launched i-Pharmabot, the nation’s first Automated Dispensing Medication System (ADMS).

“While the technology behind i-Pharmabot is similar to those used in the United States and the United Kingdom, what sets ours apart is that it has been specifically tailored for our outpatient services,” said IJN Holdings chairman Datuk Seri Dr Chen Chaw Min during the launch.

Chen explained that the system has been designed with patient safety as the priority, through its ability to handle a large number of prescriptions safely and accurately.

“Other countries may focus on inpatient care but here at IJN, we’re using it to really improve the safety and experience for our outpatient population,” said Chen, adding that the ground-breaking system is now fully operational and can dispense up to 180 medications per minute.

“Previously, our pharmacy relied on manual processes, where patients had to use prescription slips and more staff were required to prepare medications manually,” he said, adding that patients can sometimes wait more than 30 minutes to receive their prescriptions.

The automated system has helped streamline the entire process by having prescriptions screened and prepared before the arrival of patients, with i-Pharmabot able to sort, label and dispense medications accurately.

“By freeing pharmacists from preparation tasks, they can now focus on improving a patient’s experience by offering proper instruction or advice, answering questions and ensuring patients feel supported throughout their healthcare journey,” said Chen.

Costing almost RM6.4mil, the system was acquired from the collaboration between Dutch-based pharmacy automation systems provider RoboPharma and Singapore-based Omni-Health.

Chen pointed to the fact that in 2023, IJN’s level of accuracy was seen in the low rate of 3.3 errors per 100,000 items for both inpatient and outpatient care.

“Having such a low number indicates a strong commitment to patient safety and precision.”

Chen expects i-Pharmabot to help further reduce such errors, especially when it comes to packing and sorting medication.

While it will not completely eradicate every type of error, he was confident that i-Pharmabot will help to significantly lower the chances of mistakes.

“The main goal here is to make sure patients are receiving the right medication that has been packed correctly,” said Chen, who added that every precaution has been taken to ensure power outages will not be an issue.

Should the unfortunate occur, IJN’s Outpatient Block B is ready to provide the necessary electrical supply backup to ensure uninterrupted operations.