Singapore Alexandra Hospital:Enhance Medication Safety with Unique Smart Shelf

Established in 1938, Singapore Alexandra Hospital is a leading public healthcare institution, ranking 9th among public hospitals in Singapore. With 326 beds (expandable to 500 during outbreaks) and over 10 million annual outpatient visits, it is committed to delivering high-quality patient care.

In 2020, Singapore Alexandra Hospital faced significant hurdles in improving medication safety within its Outpatient Pharmacy. The hospital relied on traditional shelves and manual operations to manage thousands of medications and consumables, a method no longer adequate to meet the growing demands for patient safety and operational efficiency. Compounding the issue, the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic required the hospital to ensure accurate and timely medication dispensing while strictly adhering to cybersecurity and operational standards.

To address these challenges, the hospital deployed 44 units of NuboMed's Smart Shelf, a unique weighted shelf system designed to enhance medication safety and efficiency. Equipped with pick-to-light and weight-sensing technologies, this smart system enables more accurate and secure medication picking, as well as precise inventory control—including batch and expiry management. Though the implementation period was extended to four months due to stringent requirements such as cybersecurity configuration, software hardening, and hardware refinement, the system was successfully integrated with the hospital's Outpatient Pharmacy Automation System (OPAS), enabling a seamless, automated medication management process.

The implementation of Smart Shelf has had a profound impact on Singapore Alexandra Hospital's operations:

• Enhanced Medication Safety: The smart shelf system significantly improved drug picking accuracy and quantity monitoring, ensuring precise medication dispensing to patients. This aligns with Singapore's overarching healthcare priority of prioritizing safe medical practices.

• Improved Inventory Control: Leveraging weight-sensing and pick-to-light technologies, the system enables meticulous inventory management, including batch and expiry tracking, reducing the risks of medication errors and wastage.

• Seamless Integration:Despite the extended implementation period,the system's compatibility with OPAS has ensured a smooth transition and minimal disruption to the hospital's existing workflows.

Pharmacy directors at Singapore Alexandra Hospital expressed satisfaction with NuboMed's support and responsiveness: "Five years later, our pharmacy continues to use this solution, with immediate support available whenever minor issues arise. The success of this implementation has led us to pursue further collaboration, including broader coverage and expanded product selection for our new hospital expansion—testament to our trust in and approval of NuboMed’s solutions."

The successful implementation of Smart Shelf at Singapore Alexandra Hospital demonstrates the effectiveness of NuboMed's solution in enhancing medication safety and operational efficiency in high-demand healthcare settings. By partnering with NuboMed, the hospital has elevated its standard of patient care, setting a benchmark for other healthcare institutions.For more information on how NuboMed can help your healthcare institution achieve similar results, visit our website at nubomed.com.( URL).