Abstract— this project expresses an idea about distribution
medicines by using intelligent system which is included an information system, auto-guided vehicles (AGVs), a robot dispensing. However, this paper is intent to focus and narrow on the robot dispensing system. A robot dispensing system is to minimize staff worked load, increased effectiveness and decrease error. An observation in hospital was performing before implementation the system. Data was collected before and after implantation. All of data were analyzed. By the data continuously collected 30 working days in the hospital. The results are obviously shown that using dispensing robot system is able to minimize concerned problem, increased time efficiency almost 2 times compared with traditional procedure. Dispensing Robot System is trend to improving a management of drug distribution in drug storage. Moreover, staffs in this department are very satisfying this system because of useful for their working process.
A. Background In medical institute, drug logistic system is very important.
A proposes of improving drug logistic system is for efficiency supplying medicines entries medical institute. Procedure starts from suppliers to supply the drugs based on requests from the usages from each department in hospital [1-3, 7]. Normally, medicines are supplied to drug storage department first. After that, medicines would be distributed to other departments such as orthopedic department, medical department upon requirement [3, 4]. As many department in hospital, drug storage would be concerned about accuracy, time efficiency. Good management and logistics are required to improve the process in drug storage [7-10].
Nowadays, basics information technology system and human delivering management system are used in traditional dispending procedure. However, there are some problems in the working process. (1) Filling the data by handwriting onto a sheet of paper to record the stock is a big problem. It could cause mistakes or errors. (2) The recoding by staff is redundant work for them. The overload of work causes fatigue and therefore ineffectiveness. This problem would lead to delay in any step of the process. (3) A problem in medical miscounting the stock level is always found in the drug storage. (4). Overstocking in the pharmacy leads to a problem in the working area of the department. (5) Many documents are paper based, which always leads to problems. This project is attempted to eliminate those problem.
B. Related Work and Research Observation Literature Reviews Following these problems, this project would be able to use
the knowledge of robotics and automation system [14-15, 17] especially an industrial robot to solve the problems listed above and improve the system. The main propose of this project is to minimize staff workload, increase effectiveness [6-8], and decrease error using an intelligent system [14-17] such as synchronization between information systems [16], robotics system [15-17], automation system [15,16], logistics [14-17] and data management [17]. Hospital size and the medical dispensing processes used [6] are not dependent on each other. No matter the size, a big hospital, medium or small hospitals, all use a similar dispensing process. The main idea is to dispense medicine to the patient using an efficient process and without error.
Propose: To use a robotics and technology improve a dispensing system based on IT, Robotics and Automation Technology. The system includes 2 parts which are the robot/automation system and drug delivery System which are covered by the information system. (See. Fig 1)
T
This project is financially supported by the Center for Biomedical and Robotics Technology (BART LAB), Faculty of Engineering, and Mahidol University for all the equipment. The authors would also like to thank all BART LAB members for all the help they have provided. T. Karat is a graduate student in the BME Master Program at the Department of Biomedical Engineering, Mahidol University, and is also with the Center for Biomedical and Robotics Technology (BART LAB), Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakornpathom, Thailand (phone:+662-889-2138;fax:+662-441-4250;e-mail: [email protected]). J. Suthakorn (Corresponding Author) is with the Department of Biomedical Engineering and the Center for Biomedical and Robotics Technology (BART LAB), Faculty of Engineering, Mahidol University, Nakornpathom, Thailand (phone: +662-889-2138; fax: +662-441-4250; e-mail: [email protected]).
A Study and Development on Robotic Drug Storaging and Dispensing System in Drug Logistics for A Mid-Sized Hospital
Karat Thanaboonkong and Jackrit Suthakorn, Associate Member, IEEE
Fig1: Overview of proposed robotic drug dispensing system is covered by various technologies in the system
Starting with the information system, it willmanaging all the components and helping anwho is a pharmacist or head of the drug stopharmacist.
Based on Fig.1, Information Technology covsystem including the drug storage. The informatassist a pharmacist and staffs. It requires pharmacist to monitor the process and approveFurthermore, the pharmacist is able to remotelapprove the requirements. For other parts of thias Auto-Guided Vehicle (AGV), the informatioassists to monitor the AGV process which iscarrying medicines to wards. The information automatically record and refresh its system everdepending on setting up. The head of the pdepartment is able to check the locked files, reqdispenser and the history at each step throughout
III. DRUG DISPENSING Step I: In-bound Process
The head of the drug storage would update tweek. The spare stock would be set to certain lis dependent on the head of drug storage becauadjustable. When the stock reaches below this will be notified and can order the medicine traditional protocol.
In a general case, the medical suppliers senthe drug storage in big paper boxes. The systemat this process. The staff that takes care of tregister his/herself by scanning their barcode o(and by scanning the paper with the ordinformation would be registered into the databasnotify the administrator who is taking responsorder. After registering themselves this step isstaff would unpack the paper boxes to registerWhen the staff scans a medicine barcodeinstruction will be shown on the screen. Staff hainstructions; (1) to register the medicine, instruin Box A or B will be shown for the specific mregister the cover’s box by scanning barcode othe medicine following the provided instructionsmedicine into the box following a number of inthey close the box. It would help and guide theend of the inbound process. After that, he/sh
Fig2: Overall system of Robotic Drug Dispensing Using an
T l be a tool for
n administrator, orage who is a
vers the overall ion system will just only one e prescriptions. ly monitor and is system, such on system also
s a process for system would
r single minute, pharmaceutical quest history of t the process.
the stock every level; this level use the level is level, the head following the
d medicines to m would initiate this part has to on the ID card er). The staff se to record and sibility for this s complete, the r the medicine. , the packing as to follow the uctions to pack medicine. (2) to on it. (3) to put s. (4) to put the nstruction, until e staff until the he will unpack
paper boxes, and repack medicines inthe boxes are specifically designed for Step II: Storing Process
When the medicine is placed on thsensor detects the box. The conveyoralong its pathway. On the conveyorarrange the boxes into a nice line. At we have attached an infrared sensor toAfter the infrared sensor detects thsystem will be detecting the medicine conveyor. The databank will send somprogramming. The robot will move position. In case the robot is runncomplete the task at hand first. The reffector to the medicine shelf becausattached on it, the medicine shelf will be sent to the databank. The informatiand find an empty slot for it. In case ththe robot will move its end-effectopackage to place it in the designated sno place, the robot will move the mshelf which is prepared for certain mis Step III: Out-bound Process
Beginning with the process of ordwards; requirements for the order wilthe information system. The systemseconds. The administrator is able to order system to work on. The adminidrug storage. She/he just approves thapproved, the robot will move the endmedicine. We have programmed the robefore the item is grasped. It will use is attached to scan and check the medidone, the robot will grip the medicibound conveyor. At the end of out-boattached infrared sensor to detect anyconveyor will move to send the mediof any mistakes; the robot would mtemporary box/shelf. Step IV: Dispensing Process
At the end of conveyor, we provide all medicines. The temporary box medicines after the robot grips itemporary box, the staff has to identifyreasons. During the process of dispenAGV, the staff has to identify themseAGV. The information system will infto complete the task. Volume is 17855.14 units per day and 142.52 units p
IV. INTELLIGENT SHELVING
Shelve function was designed basedof the store room. We have observed tthe store for 30 days. During that periothe pharmaceutical director. The data frequency of medical withdrawing, m
n Industrial Robot
nto the designated boxes; r our system.
he conveyor, the infrared r belt will move the box , we provide a stack to the end of the conveyor,
o detect the box’s arrival. he box, the information arriving at the end of the
me message to the robot’s its end effector to the
ning some task, it will robot will move the end e the barcode scanner is be scanned and data will ion system will calculate he matching is complete,
or to grip the medicine slot. However, if there is medicine to a temporary stakes.
ering the medicine from l be sent to the center of m will update every 2 monitor and approve the strator is the head of the
he requirement. After it’s -effector to the requested obot to recheck medicine a barcode scanner which icine. After rechecking is ine to place on the out-ound conveyor, we have
y arriving medicines. The cine to an AGV. In case
move the package to the
a temporary box to keep is a box for keeping
it. Before opening the fy themselves for security nsing the medicine by the elves before opening the form the user of the steps 102.80 units per month, per hour.
G SYSTEM DESIGN d on the functional needs the medical work flow in od, we received data from
includes medical usage, medicine ordering amount
from the medical agency. The shelving was desthe needs of a high frequency medical ordering fIt would be represented by the medical usage (The data was collected for 30 days and we recturn around for the last 5 months 20 days and 2 data were analyzed, we found a size for shelvesthe medical packages. The data shown abofrequency of drug order is shown in the table beto design shelves, number of slots, and other eof the design. Following the table, we know aboof 20 working days the usage in various seasonother factors. Then, we should design the robbased on number of drug used per month. information to design the system. For an effedesign, the work space of the industrial robot ineed to combine the workspace of the robotics sysystem, and work flow system to the overalshelves should be designed based on requirements: (1). an easy access for robotproblems. (2). It should fit various sizes of pasmall size and medium size (or large size) (3). have intelligent system to check and monitormedicines (4). Shelves should be controlled by tmedicines such as humidity, temperature or oththe structure should be adjustable and also structure. (6). the design should be able to worwith the robot. Based on collected data, we havand optimization theory to provide the demonstration shelves. After we got the number slot, and size of packages, we were able to discosystem by work space of the industrial robot, mo
(a)
(b)
Fig 3: An illustration of the testing and designing of the w(b) are a working space of motoman HP-3 which is a
signed based on from the wards. in the hospital. ceived the data hours)After the s and a size for ut the highest elow. It is used ssential aspects
out the statistics ns, months, and bot and shelves
We used this fective shelving is required. We ystem, shelving ll system. The the following t without any ckages such as Shelves should r the status of the condition of her factors. (5).
be a durable rk and integrate ve used statistic
feasibility of of slots, size of
over the overall toman HP-3.
We used solid-works for testingdesigning the system. of the entire syssituation and recommended by the userof the shelves, working area and rosystem.
V. ROBOT/AUTOMATION
We used Visual Basic to control thedesigned to control by scanning the effector of the robot is moves to the would stop the function causing infrthe package. The robot will move position. At the end of the end effescanner to detect the package. The barbarcode. The information will be scalculate an available position on thmovement is controlled by Visual Brobot because: (1). It is a robot with are able to design the system based uarea limits. (2). the robot is compactwrist and joints which are able to positions even difficult postures (3). Brobot requires minimal installation spa
We used forward kinematics andcontrol the robot, following this equwe use Denavit-Haternberg formmanipulator. Each link is represented baxis and the common normal to the nethe manipulator are numbered from 1 and the outermost link for describing among the various links. The coordinaith link is numbered i. More details o[18], [19]. The 4x4 transformatiocoordinate system to the I coordinatedecided to use an industrial robot to ssystem in the hospital site. The robot is famous in the industrial field. Vlanguage used to control the robot.
VI. INFORMATION TECHNOLO
For the entire information system, widentify the person and to track and toAfter scanned and register the barcdirectly links to the central-data itechnology services. This center will It would be able to find all history. with high security. Without permissioaccesses.
VII. SYSTEM DEMONS
Firstly, we have to demonstrate theThe department is a store for spare anin a controlled condition.
The robot was implemented in the the concept of the working process. Thdepartment. They participated in aordering the medicine to the end of prthe stock. A head of the department als
workspace (a) and an industrial robot
g the functions before stem is observed in a real rs. Fig5 shows the design obot function to fit our
FOR STORING e robot. The program was
barcode. When an end conveyor, the conveyor
rared sensor detection of the end-effector to that
ector, there is a barcode rcode reader will scan the sent to the database to he shelves. The robot’s asic. We have used this low intrinsic weight; we
upon our requirements or t, flexible; especially its move and act in many
Because of the space, this ace. d inverse kinematics to uation; Inverse kinematic mulism, to model the
by the line along its joint xt joint axis. The links of to 7. The base link is 1, the relative arrangement
ate system attached to the of the model are given in on matrix relates i=1 e system [18]. We have show as a demonstration is MotoMan-HP3 which
Visual Basic is a basic
OGY AND SEQUENT we have used barcode to
o monitor the drug status. code, information would in hospital information record all the procedure. This system is designed
on, this system is unable
STRATION e system in drug storage. nd keeps all the medicine
mall area to demonstrate he user is the staff in this all the processes, from rocess which is checking so tested our system.
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Following the photographs in Fig 6, pictimplemented system in the drug storage in aprove the concept of a robot assisted distributinPicture (b) shows the function of the robot and which was proved in a real situation. Picture potential of our system that requires only one stit. Moreover, the system does not require the staPicture (d) shows some processes of the inforwhich is one of the important parts of our sysused the online database with high security effective system. The administrator is able to remall aspects of the system at all times.
Fig 4: Implementation of the Robot Dispensing
ture (a) is the a small area to ng drug storage.
overall system (c) shows the
taff to work on aff all the time. rmation system stem. We have to provide an
motely monitor
We have implemented the systemsized hospital. The place is in the drbiggest storage in the hospital. The meThe data was collected by a group hospital staff. All staff has to use ourfunctions.
VIII. RESULTS AND DAfter 30 days of implementation on sitdata below;
Traditional (Total time is 220 sec /pIn-bound process Rechecking the purchase list and fillinrequired document Carrying medicine to the shelf Rechecking and counting stock Out-bound process Finding medicine placement Picking up medicine and recording stoon the recording sheet Carrying the medicine out
Robot dispensing system (Totally is
In-bound process Filling data and packing medicine intopackage On the conveyor (1.2 m) Barcode scanning Robot moving from conveyor to shelf (depending on the position and pose othe robot) Out-bound Process Retrieving data to pick medicine from shelf and picking up Moving medicine (after gripping) to conveyor and temporary box
This table shows the result after we
Golden Jubilee Medical Center whichhospital, in Thailand, where the prdemonstrated. The result shows thaprotocol the process takes 220 seconother hand, with the robot dispensineach package is 170 seconds.
IX. CONCLUSI
The robot dispensing system ismedicines. This system is designed improve effectiveness in drug storprocess to reduce inefficiency. The rean overall reduced time wastage.
By implementation of our systehospital, the system is able to decreaprocesses and also decreases time forAbove all these benefits, the system wconsumption for the pharmaceutical pris shown in the results and the system
System
m 30 days in a medium rug storage which is the edicine flow is every day.
of researchers, and the r system to try all of the
ISCUSSION te, we have collected the
package) Time in average
ng in 70 sec
35 sec 30 sec Time in average 45 sec
ock 40 sec
5 sec
s 170 sec/package) Time in average
o the 90 sec
2 sec 1 sec
f 36 sec
Time in average m 36 sec
5 sec
e collected the data from h was the medium sized rototype was tested and at using the traditional nds per package. On the ng system time spent on
ON s used for dispensing
to minimize error and rage by improving the sults of our system show
m to a medium sized ase error, to track all of r training new employee. would also minimize time reparation process which
m is able to minimize the
number of required staff. This system is also able to work all day and all night. The system in this study is a prototype which is flexible for scaling based on the needs of the hospital.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to take this opportunity to offer my thanks to all people for their contribution to the development and completion of this project. Frist and foremost, I would like to thanks my academic advisor Dr. Jackrit Suthakorn. He guided me step by step from beginning until the end of the project. I deeply thank my colleges;Sakol Nakdhamabhorn, Watcharawit Saensupho, Rachot Phuengsuk, Shen Treratanakulchai, Bantita Treepong, Yuttana Itsarachaiyot, Peerapat Owatchaiyapong, Choladawan Moonjaita and all BART Lab members. Without their help, I could not have finished this project.
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