Comparison of traditional methods versus SAFEcount for filling prescriptions: A pilot study of an innovative pill counting solution in eSwatini.

Autor: Krezanoski PJ; University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America.; Opportunity Solutions International, San Francisco, CA, United States of America., Krezanoski JD; Opportunity Solutions International, San Francisco, CA, United States of America.; Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, Boston, MA, United States of America., Nxumalo N; ICAP at Columbia University, Mbabane, eSwatini., Gabert R; Opportunity Solutions International, San Francisco, CA, United States of America.; University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States of America., Comfort AB; University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States of America.; Opportunity Solutions International, San Francisco, CA, United States of America., Khumalo P; National Yang Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan., Matshotyana K; Eastern Cape Department of Health, Bhisho, South Africa.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: PloS one [PLoS One] 2019 Dec 04; Vol. 14 (12), pp. e0224323. Date of Electronic Publication: 2019 Dec 04 (Print Publication: 2019).
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0224323
Abstrakt: Background: Packaging medications is a crucial component of health system efficiency and quality. In developing countries, medications often arrive in bulk containers that need to be counted by hand. Traditional counting is time-consuming, inaccurate and tedious. SAFEcount is a novel and inexpensive handheld device that may improve the accuracy and speed of pill-counting in resource limited settings. We designed a head-to-head trial to compare traditional and SAFEcount prescription filling in eSwatini.
Methods: We recruited 31 participants from 13 health facilities throughout eSwatini. Speed and accuracy for each prescription was recorded while each participant filled prescriptions of various quantities using both the traditional and SAFEcount methods.
Results: Traditional pill counting resulted in an error rate of 12.6% inaccurate prescriptions compared to 4.8% for SAFEcount (p<0.0001). SAFEcount was 42.3% faster than traditional counting (99.9 pills per minute versus 70.2; p<0.0001). Using SAFEcount was preferred over traditional pill counting by 97% (29/30) of participants.
Conclusions: The SAFEcount device is a preferred alternative by counting personnel and is significantly faster and more accurate compared to traditional counting methods. SAFEcount could help improve the efficiency and quality of health care delivery in place of traditional hand counting.
Competing Interests: PJK and ABC are Founding Directors and members of the Board of Opportunity Solutions International (unpaid). JDK is an unpaid employee of Opportunity Solutions International and the inventor of SAFEcount. Opportunity Solutions International and JDK are co-owners of intellectual property related to a pending patent for the SAFEcount device (US Patent Application No. 16/208,525). This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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