Measuring dispensary workload: a comparison of the event recording and direct time techniques.
| Title: | Measuring dispensary workload: a comparison of the event recording and direct time techniques. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | James KL; Department of Pharmacy & Pharmacology, University of Bath, Bath, UK. k.l.james@bath.ac.uk; Barlow D; Bithell A; Burfield R; Hiom S; Lord S; Pollard M; Roberts D; Way C; Sutton C; Whittlesea C |
| Source: | The International journal of pharmacy practice [Int J Pharm Pract] 2011 Aug; Vol. 19 (4), pp. 264-75. Date of Electronic Publication: 2011 Feb 25. |
| Publication Type: | Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Validation Study |
| Language: | English |
| Journal Info: | Publisher: Oxford University Press Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9204243 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2042-7174 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 09617671 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Int J Pharm Pract Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: 2021- : [Oxford] : Oxford University Press; Original Publication: London, England : Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, c1991- |
| MeSH Terms: | Workload*; Benchmarking/*methods ; Pharmacy Service, Hospital/*organization & administration; Automation ; Humans ; Reproducibility of Results ; Time and Motion Studies ; Wales |
| Abstract: | Objectives: To compare dispensary workload, determined using the Welsh benchmarking event recording technique and the direct time technique, at two district general UK National Health Service hospitals within different university local health Boards (hospital A--manual dispensing system; hospital B--automated dispensing system).; Methods: Data on dispensary workload were collected, over a period of 6 weeks (hospital A: 8 May-18 June 2007; hospital B: 1 October-11 November 2007), by a non-participant observer using two simultaneous methods of workload measurement: direct time and event recording. Direct time technique involved timing each task involved in dispensing a sample of prescriptions from receipt to issue of dispensed medicines to patients. Welsh benchmarking event recording involved continuously logging staff activities that deviated from the dispensary rota on a data collection form to enable calculation of total staff time involved in dispensing activities. Data on number of items dispensed were obtained from the pharmacy computer system and also by manual counting of prescription items. The mean dispensary workloads were calculated as the number of items dispensed per person per hour. Two-sample t-tests were used to compare dispensary workload measurements determined using direct time and event recording technique reported by each individual hospital. Mean workloads for hospitals A and B were compared using a two-sample t-test. Statistical significance was taken as P≤0.05.; Key Findings: Hospital A was associated with a lower workload (direct time: 7.27±7.16 items per person per hour; event recording: 9.57±10.6 items per person per hour). In contrast, hospital B gave a higher workload (direct time: 11.93±8.3 items per person per hour; event recording: 12.6±8.80 items per person per hour). There was a significant difference between workload (direct time: P |
| Comments: | Erratum in: Int J Pharm Pract. 2011 Dec;19(6):444. |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20110708 Date Completed: 20111027 Latest Revision: 20191210 |
| Update Code: | 20260130 |
| DOI: | 10.1111/j.2042-7174.2010.00086.x |
| PMID: | 21733014 |
| Database: | MEDLINE |
Comparative Study; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Validation Study