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Mark P Mobach

Publications and source records attributed to Mark P Mobach.

4 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

The merits of a robot: a Dutch experience.

PURPOSE: To determine the merits of a robot at the community pharmacy in a quasi-experiment. METHOD: The applied methods for data-collection were barcode-time measurements, direct observations, time-interval studies, and tally at a Dutch community pharmacy. The topics consisted of workload, waiting times, congestion, slack, general work, counter work, and work at the consultation room. The topics were studied in pre-test and post-test stages, each stage during six weeks. By using these topics and some additional data from the pharmacy, the economics of the robot were also assessed. RESULTS: The workload decreased with 15 prescriptions per person per day. The waiting times decreased with one minute and 18 seconds per dispensing process, reducing the wait until counter contact. The day congestion decreased with one hour 27 minutes and 36 seconds, and the day slack increased with 28 minutes. The analysis of the general work showed no appreciable difference in the bulk of the care-related activities and the other activities. However, some work was re-shuffled: 7% increase at counter work and 7% decrease at logistics. Moreover, statistically significant increases were observed at counter work (5%) and robot work (4%), and significant decreases at telephone (3%) and filling work in presence of the patient (4%). The counter tally study showed a rise in care-related activities with 8%. Moreover, it also illuminated a statistically significant decrease at no information (11%) and an increase at only social (2%). The consultation room was never used during the study. The pharmacy economics of the robot showed that the robot had high estimated costs for purchase, depreciation, and maintenance: EUR 187,024 in the first year. Moreover, the robot had positive impact on waiting times, congestion, staffing, logistics, and care-related work, which was estimated on EUR 91,198 in the first year. The estimated payback time of the robot was three years. CONCLUSIONS: An introduction of the robot may indeed have the often supposed positive effects on pharmaceutical care. Even though the costs are high and the technical problems are present, the robot seems to be financial beneficial after three years. The robot can create space for pharmaceutical care, but it has a substantial cost.

Community Pharmacy Services↗
PubMed2005

The transformation of pharmacy concepts into building and organization.

OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY: To explore the transformation of soft systems pharmacy concepts, with a special attention for pharmaceutical care, into hard systems properties of building and organization in community-based pharmacy practice in The Netherlands. METHOD: The applied methods for data-collection were interviews. The interviews were conducted at eight community pharmacies and four architectural firms. The central topics in the questionnaire were the building and the design process. The role of the architect was included in the questions for the pharmacist and the role of the pharmacist was included for the architect. The data were completed with simple observations, relevant documents, designs, photographic material and bills of quantities of best, ordinary and worst case practices. The data were used to address the coherence between pharmacy, building, and organization. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The main outcome measure was the relevance for the objective of the study. Data-selection was based upon its supposed connection with the transformation of soft into hard systems. The main focus was on documentation, classification, and derivation that would improve the current understanding of the transformation of a pharmacy concept, especially pharmaceutical care, into building and organization. No further data-selection was made. RESULTS: The results show that architectural and organizational designs are actually used in the support of pharmaceutical care. A large variety of soft and hard systems were observed. However, pharmacists seem to agree on the use of the soft systems key words 'professional', 'accessible', and 'transparent', and also on the activities with respect to the provision of information and the cooperation with other disciplines. Although most observed transformations appear sensible, hard evidence provided by the pharmacist is very poor. The full impact of the implemented changes on pharmaceutical care or other concepts remains a mystery. There is a large variety of different hard properties in building and organization, reflecting different (but still related) soft pharmacy concepts. The connections in building and organization are regarded as the resources that make the provision of care possible. Observed were resources to support the provision of written and oral information, the conversation setting, and the cooperation with other professionals. Potentially important developments for pharmaceutical care are the separate consultation room, the multi-disciplinary health centre, and robotization. CONCLUSION: This study has revealed some of the interdisciplinary relations between pharmaceutical, architectural, and organizational designs in Dutch community pharmacy practices. From this study we can conclude that interventions in building and organization are actually used in the support of pharmacy concepts, specifically of pharmaceutical care. However, the hard evidence of supposed improvements remains poor and mostly absent.

Community Pharmacy Services↗
PubMed2002

Pharmaceutical care research: hard or soft?--Part II.

In pharmaceutical care research (PCR) quantitative research methodologies are strongly represented. However, in PCR also other qualities should be included in the tool kit of the researcher. For that purpose, it is argued that social science provides rich frameworks applicable for PCR. It offers both quantitative and qualitative methodological frameworks. In the most challenging and powerful field work the two approaches are combined. The case study design is a framework to synthesise quantitative and qualitative research approaches. For the development of PCR the case study design may be an important addition to the tool kit of its researchers.

Humans↗