Duane Chudy, president of TCG, has a long history in pharmacy automation. Beginning with a career at Baxter nearly 25 years ago, Duane pioneered the launch of automated tablet packaging and has since designed and implemented revolutionary new products for a number of pharmacy markets. In this interview with ComputerTalk's Will Lockwood, he offers his insight into how his newest technology venture is bringing an new organizational approach to pharmacy that's already a proven success in various distribution settings.

CT: What have been the drivers behind the current, standard pharmacy layout?

Chudy: Pharmacists are experts in patient care, drug interactions, consulting and so much more. The best use of their time is in helping patients make the right decisions and to be compliant in taking their medications. The traditional pharmacy design and dispensing operation does not allow pharmacists to maximize these strengths. Pharmacists and technicians spend an inordinate amount of time walking, counting, applying labels and stocking shelves.

CT: How can pharmacists do things differently?

Chudy: Pharmacists can do things differently only by changing the tools that they have today. With very few changes, many pharmacies today look very much like the pharmacies of 30 years ago. The automation that has been introduced, usually only addresses a specific set of high-volume medications, but without addressing the workflow and organization of the pharmacy. TCG has been dedicated to building tools that manage the entire formulary and the entire script volume with more accuracy, more efficiency, more reportability, and in half the space of the typical pharmacy.

CT: So you see significant benefits for pharmacists who are willing to take a hard look at how their pharmacy is physically organized?

Chudy: Yes. TCG has developed a unique high-density storage solution that is based on pick and put to light technology. This allows us to organize the pharmacy by activity rather than alphabetically. This system not only reduces the amount of time it takes to fill a script, it also addresses look alike and sound alike drug issues. Using this system, pharmacists and technicians can focus more on patient interaction.

CT: This isn't really new technology, is it? Where else have these concepts been applied successfully?

Chudy: That's right. This technology is not new. Distribution warehouses, parts depots, and other areas of material handling have been using this technology for years. We have customized the solution for pharmacy but the concept is the same in that we are managing inventory and workflow based on activity and tracking where every last inventory item is located in a reportable fashion. It is an exciting innovation for pharmacy based on a very proven technology.

CT: Since we're clearly not stocking drugs alphabetically in this system, tell me a little bit more about the process and criteria used for deciding where a drug goes. For example, is it based on how frequently it is dispensed?

Chudy: Yes, the Beacon system stocks a medication based on activity. The medication can either be pre-assigned to a high or slow moving area within the system or the software can track the usage over time and dynamically and automatically move the medication to a new location. Because the system is pick and put to light, we are able to achieve this high level stocking efficiency without compromising ease of use

CT: What kind of results can pharmacists expect?

Chudy: The Beacon system has a significant impact on space, labor, inventory, and accuracy in script fulfillment. This system allows a pharmacy to increase script growth while staying in the same footprint. The workflow efficiencies and space savings also reduce the amount of time technicians spend picking and putting medications back on shelves. The system relies on barcode scanning and image verification so that we can track inventory down to the pill and down to the last penny. It is a level of control and efficiency that hasn't been available to pharmacy in the past.

CT: Finally, how major of a change does this need to be for a pharmacy? Is it a total redesign or can pharmacists see benefits by integrating some of these concepts with their existing workflow and automated dispensing technology?

Chudy: We have developed Beacon and our automation solutions to be modular and configurable so that they can be adopted in any pharmacy environment. We have standard parts that we build to customize solutions depending on the needs of a specific pharmacy. We do not believe in the idea that "one size fits all" when it comes to pharmacy.