Work Study and Work Design of an Outpatient Dispensing Service at Phimai Hospital, Nakornratchasima

Abstract

The work study and work design of an outpatient dispensing service at Phimai Hospital, Nakornratchasima, Thailand, were performed to set up the efficiency dispensing service system and reduce the patient waiting time. The dispensing service system was designed by the quesioning technique. The used time and delayed time were measured by prescription stamped-time technique before and after installing the new system. Questionaires of satisfaction and understanding and medication error forms were used before and after installing the system to determine and compare the difference. The data were collected during August 2006 – September 2006. The results showed the decreasing of waiting time from 46 min. 15 s to 26 min. 37 s The used time did not change, while the delayed time was decreased from 41 min. 41 s to 22 min. 19 s However, the waiting time was still long when compared with the standard of Thai Hospital Pharmaceutical Association. The quality of the outpatient dispensing service after installing the new system was not decreased. The patient satisfactions were still good and slightly increased in the waiting time satisfaction. The understanding of the drug name or indication, how to take the medication and how to care for side effects were not decreased. The ratio of medication errors were not changed. The study suggested that work analysis model was helpful and could be applied to evaluation and improve the efficiency of hospital working system. In addition, pharmaceutical services have moved from product-oriented to patient-oriented. Patients expect their pharmacists to be able to provide value-added services. To reduce the waiting time, we should deal with the delayed time and ensure that the quality must not be decreased.