Technology tackles dispensing in age of accountable care.

Increasingly, long-term care facilities are using technology to improve safety, reduce costs, and save time. The growing role of high-tech tools in this setting is driven partly by regulations calling for facilities to improve outcomes and streamline costs. One tool that long-term pharmacies and their facilities are turning to is the automated dispensing system. These systems vary in term of type, size, cost, and function; and they are approved for use in long-term care facilities in some but not all states. However, where they can be and are used, they often result in reduced medication management costs and improved safety and accuracy. At the same time, automated dispensing systems may make medication administration easier for nurses. While challenges to their implementation and use remain, automated dispensing systems likely will be a key part of health care's future. This article serves as an introduction to the automated dispensing systems, their use in long-term care, and their potential use as a new era of health care begins.